Press Information Bureau

25^th September, 2014 was declared the ‘Antyodaya Diwas’ in honour of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s 98^th Birth Anniversary. It was the same day when the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revamped it’s existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) which emphasized on greater access, coverage and quality. In doing so, MoRD has used its knowledge gained over 15 years in implementing skill training programs. DDU-GKY is now a demand driven placement-linked skilling initiative which seeks to enable rural poor youth to benefit from national and international employment opportunities.

The spirit of Antyodaya Mission lies in ‘reaching out to the last person’. Ministry of Rural Development is also working towards this motto through reaching to all eligible rural youths of India. Over the period of time, DDU GKY has proven to be an effective rural development initiative for rural youths by providing both market linked skilling and sustainable wage employment opportunities.

Therefore working towards this motto and to commemorate Antyodaya Diwas 2020, MoRD is celebrating this day for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) with their skilled and enthusiastic beneficiaries and other stakeholders spread across the country. During this pandemic time, MoRD is virtually celebrating this auspicious day with all States/UTs, Project Implementing Agencies, Employers and rural youths from all over the country.

Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State of Rural Development, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti will grace the occasion along with the senior officers of the State governments, State Mission Directors of SRLM and Skill Missions. All are requested to join this celebration of the wonderful journey of DDU GKY.

URL for the webcast is: https://webcast.gov.in/mord/

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APS/SG