Kolkata, August 18: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) convened the ‘Kaushal Manthan’ Regional Conference of Skill Ministers in Kolkata to strengthen Centre-State coordination and build an industry-linked, outcome-oriented skilling ecosystem.
The conference was chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education. Ministers and senior officials from West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Jharkhand and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu participated.
Chaudhary stressed that the PM-SETU scheme should be implemented as a comprehensive institutional reform, with ITI clusters aligned to industrial corridors, MSME hubs, emerging technologies and priority economic sectors. He also highlighted the need to expand AI skills, noting that more than 2.10 lakh learners had enrolled under the SOAR initiative by July 16, 2026.
The conference discussed ITI transformation, district-level skill planning, industry participation, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, inclusion and international workforce mobility. A new international skilling programme for 600 OBC youth from Madhya Pradesh was also launched, offering foreign-language and destination-readiness training for employment opportunities in Japan and Germany in sectors including caregiving, hospitality, construction and manufacturing.
Implemented by NSDC International, the programme will use a blended-finance model combining beneficiary participation, Social Stock Exchange grants and outcome-based government financing. The conference concluded with a commitment to strengthen Centre-State coordination, promote cross-State learning and focus on measurable learner and employment outcomes.
