The Ministry of Rural Development is set to roll out Deen Dayal Upadhyaya- Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) 2.0 training batches across most of the States/UTs from October 2026.

As per the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal (https://kaushal.rural.gov.in) allocations of 5.6 lakh targets towards more than 1,200 projects to the Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs) have been done by 24 States/UTs. Other States are in the advanced stages of target allocations. Across the country in 24 States/UTs, 2,015 batches involving around 70,000 rural youth are expected to commence their training in October 2026.

DDU-GKY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme providing placement linked skill training to poor rural youth. Duration of the training varies from 3 months to 12 months. All the 31 participating States/UTs have been allocated more than 9 lakhs targets under the DDU-GKY 2.0 for 2-year period 2026-28. States/UTs have to mobilise rural youth and to organise placement linked skill training, as per demand, in PPP mode, in National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligned courses, enabling sustained employability of the beneficiaries. The Ministry emphasised that this is a crucial phase for State/UT action and called upon implementing States/UTs to accelerate the allocation of targets to Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) and to commence batches as per envisaged timelines. States/UTs are supposed to ensure allocation of targets to PIAs for commencement of trainings latest by 31 October 2026.

Review meetings in phases are being held with the States/UTs to gather momentum in the processes leading to batch commencements.

***

PU