Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is one of the cluster of initiatives under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) aimed at livelihood diversification and poverty reduction. DDU-GKY aims to skill rural youth and promote sustainable livelihoods for rural youth through placement-linked skilling programs. The cumulative details of funds sanctioned/released and expenditure incurred under DDU-GKY during the last five years and the current year are given in  Annexure-I.

Under DDUGKY, a total of 18.45 lakh candidates have been trained, 11.44 lakh candidates have been certified and 12.35 lakh have been placed since inception i.e. 2014-15.

The quality of training and employability are ensured by the scheme design wherein Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) are reimbursed allowable funds only after ensuring 6 months of employment for at least 70% of the trained and certified beneficiaries. Further, an impact assessment study has been conducted through Transrural Agri Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd. in the year 2025. The income enhancement indicator as per the evaluation study has shown that beneficiaries experienced an average salary growth of 30.79% in a period of three years with an average salary of ₹ 16,500 per month.

DDU-GKY incorporates mandatory social inclusion norms to ensure equitable access to training and placement opportunities for disadvantaged groups. The Scheme mandates that 50% of candidates shall be from SC/ST communities, 33% shall be women, and 3% shall be Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

In order to ensure strengthening skill development, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural youth under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), a number of steps have been taken. These include:

• Shifting to Batch-Mode payments in place of the earlier project-mode system, enabling faster and more accountable disbursals.
• Greater emphasis has been placed on securing a minimum of 6 months of employment for trained candidates, along with tracking support for 12 months to ensure job continuity. Earlier a minimum of 3 month of employment was mandated.
• The scope of the programme has been expanded to include self-employment and emerging gig economy opportunities, promoting entrepreneurial capabilities among the rural youth and encouraging local enterprise development.

Annexure-I

 

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1538 due for reply on 28.07.2026.

 

State/UT-wise funds released and utilized (cumulative) under DDU-GKY during the last 5 years and current year:

(₹ in Crore)

*Many States were having opening SNA balance on 01.04.2021

 

This information was given by the Minister of State for Rural Development SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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RC/PU

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2290655) आगंतुक पटल : 85