Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

With the ambitious agenda to benchmark wage placement-linked programs up to global standards, the Ministry of Rural Development launched the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) in September 2014. This scheme is formulated based on 15 years of experience in implementing skill training programs. It is a placement-linked skill development initiative for the financially unstable rural youth, and it forms an integral part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). This article explores the various facets of DDU-GKY and how it continues to support disadvantaged rural communities in India.

The Scheme

The DDU-GKY focuses on the rural youth of India and is a critical component of the National Skill Development Policy. It aims to cater to the occupational aspirations of rural youth and equip them for global job markets. Aiming to position India as the skill capital, the scheme supports the Prime Minister's Make in India campaign by building rural youth capacity to meet global skill demands.

Features of the Scheme

As a poverty alleviation initiative, DDU-GKY makes skill acquisition necessary and aspirational among rural youth, creating a highly skilled workforce. The scheme's salient features include:

Market-led, placement-linked training programmes initiated in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Guaranteed placement for a minimum of 75% of trained candidates.
Focus on rural youth aged 15-35 from financially unstable backgrounds, including:
- MGNREGA worker households, where at least one member worked 15 days,
- RSBY households,
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana card households,
- BPL PDS card households,
- NRLM-SHG households, and
- Households covered under auto-inclusion parameters of SECC 2011.
Social inclusion mandates coverage of disadvantaged groups including SC/ST (50%), Minorities (15%), and Women (33%).
Regional inclusion through initiatives like Himayat for Jammu & Kashmir and Roshini for 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) affected districts.
A minimum monthly salary of INR 6,000 for candidates post a three-month training course.
Career progression support for training partners.
Priority for Training Partners capable of overseas placement and captive placements.
Promotion of the Make in India campaign through industry internships supported by joint industry-DDU-GKY partnerships.
Rural India Skills Emblem (RISE) standard for rating rural skilled workforce.

Eligibility

There are no stringent eligibility criteria for joining DDU-GKY. Candidates:

Aged 15-35, committed to transforming their lives through sustained effort.
Preference for those with a background in schooling but not mandatory.
Unemployed or employed as laborers, and those engaged in daily wage jobs.
Belonging to households with at least one member in MGNREGA or Self-Help Groups (SHG).

Participants must attend classes regularly and complete all assignments, aiming to diversify incomes of disadvantaged groups, including:

Women,
Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs),
Individuals with disabilities (PWDs),
Transgenders and special groups like rehabilitated bonded laborers, trafficking victims, manual scavengers, and HIV-positive individuals.

Funding

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) operates as a centrally sponsored scheme, with the funding pattern outlined below:

For states excluding the North-East, 75% of program funding comes from the Central Government, with the remaining 25% from State Governments.
For North-Eastern states, the Central Government funds 90% of the program, while the State Governments cover the remaining 10%.

Funding of DDU-GKY Projects: The DDU-GKY supports placement-linked projects with funding ranging from INR 25,696 to over INR 1 lakh per individual, based on project duration and residential status. Funding components cover training, residential expenses, transportation, post-placement support, and career retention.

Application Procedure

To join DDU-GKY, interested candidates can follow these procedures:

Procedure 1: Enroll through the Gram Panchayat or Gram Rozgar Sewak, who will connect them with the nearest Training Centre or mobilization staff for counseling and guidance.Procedure 2: Directly contact a nearby training center.Procedure 3: Select a specific trade and contact the relevant training center offering that training.Procedure 4: Fill out the application form on DDU-GKY's official site and upload a passport-sized photo.

Regardless of the chosen procedure, authorities will contact the applicant, consult with them and their community, and assist them until enrollment at a training center is complete.

For more information on related schemes, visit the Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Upgradation Scheme, or explore how NGOs can benefit from GST registration.

Businesses involved in training can gain more insights by visiting the Business ITR Filing page or understanding registration processes in specific regions like Tiruppur. Those interested in GST compliance can check out the guide on QR Codes for GST Invoices and explore the dynamics of GST Return Filing.

To maintain financial compliance, consider professional advice on audits and learn about refund processes in GST at the GST Refund Process Guide. Lastly, for banking solutions, consider opening a Yes Bank Current Account.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DDU GKY Skill Development for Rural Youth.

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is a placement-linked skill development scheme aimed at providing vocational training and employment opportunities for financially-unstable rural youth in India. It is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and aims to create a highly skilled and productive workforce.

Individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 who are unemployed, working as laborers, earning daily wages through odd jobs, or belong to families enrolled in government schemes like MGNREGA, RSBY, Antyodaya Anna Yojana, or Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are eligible for the DDU-GKY program. Special focus is given to women, individuals with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups.

Some of the key features of the DDU-GKY scheme include market-led, placement-linked training programs, mandatory placement of at least 75% of trained candidates, social inclusion targets for marginalized groups, regional initiatives like Himayat and Roshini, a minimum salary of INR 6,000 per month, career progression support, and the RISE standard for rating skilled rural workforce.

The DDU-GKY is a centrally sponsored scheme. For states excluding the North-East, the Central Government funds 75% of the program, and the respective State Governments fund the remaining 25%. For the North-East states, the funding pattern is 90% from the Central Government and 10% from the State Government.

The DDU-GKY offers funding support for placement-linked skilling projects ranging from INR 25,696 per individual to over INR 1 Lakh, depending on the duration of the project (3, 6, 9, or 12 months) and whether it is residential or non-residential. The funding components include training costs, boarding and lodging, transportation, post-placement support, and career progression and retention support.

Individuals can apply for the DDU-GKY program through their respective Gram Panchayat or Gram Rozgar Sewak, by contacting the nearest training center directly, or by filling out an application form on the official website of the program. The concerned authorities will then guide the applicant through the enrollment process.

The DDU-GKY aims to position India as a global skill capital and support the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' campaign by promoting industry internships and joint partnerships between industries and the DDU-GKY program. This helps in developing a skilled workforce aligned with the requirements of the industrial sector.

The Rural India Skills Emblem (RISE) standard is a rating system introduced under the DDU-GKY scheme to assess and certify the skilled rural workforce for blue-collar and rust-collar jobs. It aims to benchmark the quality of the skilled workforce trained under the program.

Himayat is a special sub-scheme under the DDU-GKY aimed at providing skill training and employment opportunities for the rural youth in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a unique initiative designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by the youth in that region.

Roshini is a unique initiative under the DDU-GKY scheme targeted at providing skill training and employment opportunities for the rural youth of low-income families in 27 most-affected Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts across nine states in India. It aims to address the specific challenges faced by youth in these regions.