Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0: New Initiative to Empower Rural Youth

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), operated by the Ministry of Rural Development, is celebrating its 12th anniversary. To make this scheme, which provides employment-linked skill training to rural youth aged 15-35 from poor families, more effective, the government notified the advanced guidelines for 'DDU-GKY 2.0' in May 2025. This initiative aims to strengthen the framework for training, placement, and employment stability. In the Central Budget 2026-27, ₹750 crore has been allocated for this scheme.

Under the revised framework, training will now be provided across various sectors, including aerospace, aviation, agriculture, healthcare, green jobs, beauty, and wellness. The scheme places a special emphasis on social inclusion, with mandatory coverage provisions of 50 percent for SC/ST communities, 33 percent for women, and 5 percent for persons with disabilities.

The government has launched two major programs for specific regions. The 'Roshni' initiative focuses on districts affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) as notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as Aspirational Districts, making residential training mandatory with 40 percent coverage for women. Meanwhile, 'Himayat' is a special scheme for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, covering youth from both BPL and APL categories and is fully funded by the Central Government. Additionally, 10 percent of the total allocation has been reserved for the North Eastern states.

The training framework under DDU-GKY 2.0 has been standardized. A minimum course of 576 hours will now include 396 hours of domain training and 180 hours of non-domain training, covering English communication, life skills, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship. The minimum duration for placement has also been increased from three months to six months.

To promote employment stability, candidates will receive financial assistance of ₹1,270 per month (totaling ₹7,620) for up to six months. Furthermore, candidates remaining employed for 365 days will be provided retention assistance of ₹5,000. To support migrants, 'Migration Support Centers' (MSC) are being established, and their annual funding has been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹30 lakh.

Through technical integration, geo-tagged biometric attendance, face authentication, and real-time dashboards are now being utilized. Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir have been leading states in the implementation of this scheme. To date, more than 18.47 lakh candidates have been trained across 31 states and union territories, with 12.43 lakh successfully placed. During this period, 9.71 lakh women received training, and 6.34 lakh women secured employment.