Agra/Lucknow,
08 May (HS): The DDU-GKY 2.0 workshop, organized by the Uttar Pradesh Skill
Development Mission in Agra, concluded successfully on Friday.
Representatives
from Uttar Pradesh and eight other states participated in the workshop, and the
achievements, challenges, innovations, and action plan of DDU-GKY 1.0 were
discussed in detail. On the final day of the workshop, presentations were given
by Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
Chairing
the workshop, Pankaj Yadav, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development
(Skills), stated that the objective of the DDU-GKY and RSETI schemes is not
only to provide training but also to strengthen the livelihoods of rural youth
by connecting them to employment and self-employment. He categorically stated
that all states must now demonstrate concrete results from the schemes. He
commended the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission for its arrangements and
innovations. He stated that the workshop was very effective, with all states
actively participating and providing valuable suggestions. He emphasized that
success lies in identifying the right trades, strong monitoring, and better
mobilization.
With
the implementation of Phase 2 of DDU-GKY and RSETI, states will now have to
work at a faster pace. Identifying the right trades, selecting good PIAs, and
continuous monitoring are crucial for the scheme's success. He emphasized that
strong monitoring and better implementation will lead to faster implementation
times. He urged states to make greater use of IT tools, portals, and mobile
apps to regularly review PIAs and take timely corrective action. He also
advised holding PSC meetings regularly and taking decisions in
circulation mode when needed. He particularly commended Uttar
Pradesh for its success stories, coffee table books, and innovations, saying
other states should also widely publicize skilling schemes in rural areas.
Mission
Director Pulkit Khare gave a detailed presentation on Uttar Pradesh's skill development
model, highlighting industry demand-driven training, digital monitoring, and
job linking as key pillars. He described ensuring real-time monitoring and
transparency of training centers through digital platforms like the Skill
Drishti app. He also highlighted the success of block-level job fairs,
stating that approximately 2.62 lakh youth in Uttar Pradesh were trained under
DDU-GKY 1.0, of which approximately 2 lakh youth were linked to employment.
The
Mission Director stated that the objective of the scheme is not merely to
increase enrollment numbers, but to connect youth with sustainable livelihoods.
With this in mind, the Mission has created the Kaushaldeep coffee
table book, which includes inspiring success stories from youth benefiting from
the scheme. Analyzing various regions of the state, it identified which
districts saw greater training and placements, and which saw relatively less
progress. Now, under DDU-GKY 2.0, special focus will be placed on districts
with lower enrollment and placement numbers.
Special
campaigns have also focused on enrolling persons with disabilities. In DDU-GKY
1.0, enrollment of persons with disabilities was only 0.1 percent, which has
been increased to 2 percent in 2.0. The goal is to increase this to 5 percent.
To this end, regular monitoring and special enrollment campaigns are being
conducted. Women's participation under the scheme has steadily increased, with
placements for female trainees exceeding those of men in the top five trades.
Keeping future needs in mind, a strategy has also been developed to train youth
in 192 new-age job roles identified by the government.
Giving
a technical presentation, DDU-GKY COO Ashish Kumar explained that training and
placement work is progressing rapidly in various sectors in the state. He added
that approximately 44,000 new targets will be awarded in May alone, and new
training partners will also be added. To strengthen the mission at the block
level, we are also working on appointing Block Program Managers (BPMs), implementing
a digital inspection system, tablet-based monitoring, and expediting the
resolution of pending cases.
At
the conclusion of the two-day workshop, officials stated that DDU-GKY 2.0 is
not just a training program, but a comprehensive campaign to empower youth to
become self-reliant and connect them with respectable employment. The Uttar
Pradesh model has been praised nationally, and representatives from other
states have also cited it as an effective model.
Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi