The Ministry of Rural Development is preparing to kick off training sessions for 34,920 rural youth as part of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) 2.0, starting in October 2026. This initiative aims to provide placement-linked skill development programs lasting from three to twelve months in various participating regions.
The initial phase will encompass 1,164 training batches distributed across 14 states and union territories, including Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana, and Bihar. These areas have been assigned a collective target to train 357,112 rural youth by December 31, 2027.
Preparations have been assessed with the 14 states and UTs involved, and the ministry has set targets for the 2026-28 timeframe for all 31 participating states and UTs. Although states are at various stages of readiness, the ministry has urged them to expedite the target allocation and commence training as scheduled.
According to the DDU-GKY 2.0 online platform, over 560,000 training opportunities have been earmarked across more than 1,200 projects in 24 states and UTs. More than 500,000 targets have already been distributed to Project Implementing Agencies in the 31 participating regions, with most states anticipated to begin mobilization and training activities in October.
States and UTs are required to finalize target allocations to Project Implementing Agencies and to begin training sessions by October 31, 2026. The ministry plans to hold periodic review meetings to facilitate the timely start of batches while state and UT administrations continue their preparations for the rollout.
The DDU-GKY program is a centrally sponsored initiative designed to provide skills training linked to employment for disadvantaged rural youth, with training durations spanning from three months to a year. The current implementation phase is seen as critical for state and UT actions, with an emphasis on quicker target allocations to Project Implementing Agencies to ensure timely training commencement.
The Integrated DDU-GKY 2.0 Portal has been established to streamline the project lifecycle, emphasizing efficiency, transparency, and digital oversight. The ministry also reviewed the integration of this portal with State Treasury Portals to support online payments as the new training batches are launched.
States and UTs have been encouraged to complete any unfinished integration with State Treasury Portals by September 30, 2026, to assist with the online payment processes related to the Grameen Kaushal Portal.
Moreover, the ministry plans to conduct hybrid regional workshops in four locations throughout October to educate Project Implementing Agencies on the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal. These workshops will cover the portal’s functionalities and allow for discussions on implementation challenges.
The scheduled workshops will take place in Shillong on October 5, Vijayawada on October 7, Mumbai on October 9, and Dharamshala on October 16. States and UTs are asked to ensure that representatives from several Project Implementing Agencies attend these sessions, which are aimed at aiding the transition to the integrated digital platform.
During a recent review meeting, the financial aspects of the scheme were also examined, with officials from participating states and UTs indicating an anticipated rise in expenditures once training batches commence in October 2026. The meeting included discussions held via video conferencing among officials from the Ministry of Rural Development and state administrations.
