The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is an initiative by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India. It focuses on providing skill development training and employment opportunities to rural youth, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with the aim of improving their employability and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

Key Objectives:

1. Skill Development for Rural Youth: DDU-GKY offers training to enhance employability and provide industry-relevant skills to youth in rural areas.
2. Alleviating Poverty: By empowering young people with vocational skills, the program seeks to help families move out of poverty.
3. Reducing Rural-Urban Migration: DDU-GKY creates local employment opportunities, thereby reducing migration to urban areas for jobs.

Key Features:

1. Focus on Marginalized Groups: It gives priority to rural youth aged 15-35 from marginalized sections, including women, minorities, and differently-abled individuals.
2. Partnership with Private Sector: DDU-GKY partners with private training providers to ensure high-quality, demand-driven skill training aligned with industry standards.
3. Placement-Linked: The program emphasizes placement in jobs post-training, ensuring long-term employment and growth.
4. Free Training: The training provided is fully subsidized by the government, with the cost covered for eligible candidates.

Special Provisions:

• Multilingual Training: Programs are conducted in regional languages, making them accessible to non-English speakers.
• Monitoring and Quality Control: A robust monitoring system ensures that training providers meet quality and placement standards.
• Global Placement Opportunities: DDU-GKY also explores international job markets to place trained youth in relevant sectors abroad.

Impact and Benefits:

• Economic Growth in Rural Areas: By creating a skilled workforce, DDU-GKY contributes to local economic development.
• Empowerment of Rural Youth: It provides rural youth with a stable career path, equipping them with skills for diverse industries.
• Support for Self-Employment: Besides job placement, the program also supports entrepreneurship among participants.

DDU-GKY thus plays a significant role in rural skill development, targeting the socio-economic upliftment of the underprivileged and fostering inclusive growth in rural India.