About Deen Dayal Upadhyaya- Grameen Kaushalya Yojana:
- It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2014, under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
- It provides placement linked skill training to poor rural youth.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development
- Key Features:
- Target: It has been providing placement-linked skill training to rural youth aged 15-35 years from poor households.
- Social Inclusion: It also promotes social inclusion through mandatory coverage of SC/ST communities (50%), women (33%), and persons with disabilities (5%).
- The Government notified the upgraded DDU-GKY 2.0 Guidelines in 2025 and framework provides training across multiple sectors based on industry requirements, including aerospace and aviation, agriculture, beauty and wellness, green jobs, healthcare, textiles, and others.
- Initiatives under DDU-GKY 2.0:
- Roshni: It addresses the specific needs of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- It mandates residential skill training, with 40% coverage for women candidates.
- The initiative has been extended to Aspirational Districts, focusing on local infrastructure, education, health, natural resources, and traditional skills.
- Himayat: It is a special DDU-GKY scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- It covers rural and urban youth, including BPL and APL persons, and supports wage, self, and gig employment.
- The scheme is 100% centrally funded and implemented with State support through dedicated Mission Management Units.
- North East: Acknowledging the challenges of unique topography of the North Eastern States, out of the total allocation for DDU-GKY, 10% is earmarked for the North-Eastern States.
- Hard to reach Areas: It has provision for Special Area Allowance where Project implementing agencies shall be eligible for a payment at the rate of an additional 10% of the Base training cost per candidate.
