About DDUGKY

• The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) launched the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) in 2014. 
• DDU-GKY is tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.
• As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic programs of the government like the Make In India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up India.

Beneficiaries

• DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families. 
• Over 180 million or 69% of the country’s youth population between the ages of 18 and 34 live in its rural areas. Of these, the bottom of the pyramid youth from poor families with no or marginal employment number about 55 million.
• There are several challenges preventing India’s rural poor from competing in the modern market, such as the lack of formal education and marketable skills. 
• DDU-GKY bridges this gap by funding training projects benchmarked to global standards, with an emphasis on placement, retention, career progression and foreign placement.

Implementation Model

• DDU-GKY follows a 3-tier implementation model.  
• The DDU-GKY National Unit at MoRD functions as the policy-making, technical support and facilitation agency. The DDU-GKY State Missions provide implementation support; and the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) implement the programme through skilling and placement projects.

Why in News?

• Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), 65% of the candidates have been placed in gainful employment after completing their training. 
• From FY 2014-15 a total of 16,90,046 candidates have been trained and 10,97,265 candidates have been placed till November, 2024.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2085248