New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development is set to begin Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) 2.0 training batches across most States and Union Territories from October 2026, marking the next phase of the rural youth skill development programme.
In the first phase, the Ministry reviewed preparedness with 14 States/UTs and plans to start 1,164 training batches involving 34,920 rural youth in October.
The sanctioned target for these 14 States/UTs is 3,57,112 rural youth to be trained by December 31, 2027.
34,920 Rural Youth to Start Training in October
The first phase of preparedness reviews covered the following States and Union Territories:
- Odisha
- Mizoram
- Sikkim
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- West Bengal
- Himachal Pradesh
- Tamil Nadu
- Uttarakhand
- Uttar Pradesh
- Puducherry
- Karnataka
- Telangana
- Bihar
According to the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal, 1,164 batches have been planned to begin training in October, covering 34,920 rural youth.
The 14 States/UTs have a combined sanctioned target of 3,57,112 rural youth to be trained by December 31, 2027.
DDU-GKY 2.0 Targets More Than 5.6 Lakh Rural Youth
The Ministry said target allocation under DDU-GKY 2.0 is progressing across participating States and UTs.
As per the portal:
- 5.6 lakh targets have been allocated towards more than 1,200 projects by 24 States/UTs.
- Targets have been allocated to all 31 participating States/UTs for the two-year period of 2026-28.
- Other States/UTs are at different stages of target allocation.
- More than 5 lakh targets have already been allocated to Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) for mobilisation of eligible rural youth.
The Ministry is conducting review meetings in phases to accelerate target allocation, mobilisation and commencement of training batches.
States and UTs have been advised to complete target allocation to PIAs and ensure commencement of training by October 31, 2026.
What Is DDU-GKY 2.0?
DDU-GKY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on providing placement-linked skill training to poor rural youth.
Under the programme:
- Training duration ranges from 3 months to 12 months.
- Training is linked to employment and placement opportunities.
- States and UTs are responsible for implementing the programme through Project Implementing Agencies.
- The current DDU-GKY 2.0 targets cover a two-year period from 2026 to 2028.
The Ministry has described the current phase as crucial for States and UTs to accelerate implementation and begin training according to the planned timelines.
Integrated DDU-GKY 2.0 Portal to Improve Digital Monitoring
The Ministry has highlighted the DDU-GKY 2.0 Integrated Portal as an important component of the programme’s implementation.
The portal is designed to facilitate the end-to-end project life cycle, with an emphasis on efficiency, transparency and digital monitoring.
The Ministry also reviewed the integration of the portal with State Treasury Portals.
States and UTs where the integration is still pending have been advised to complete it by September 30, 2026. The integration is intended to facilitate online payments through the Grameen Kaushal Portal.
Regional Workshops to Train Project Implementing Agencies
To familiarise Project Implementing Agencies with the DDU-GKY 2.0 digital platform, the Ministry will organise regional workshops in hybrid mode at four locations during October.
The scheduled workshops are:
- Shillong: October 5, 2026
- Vijayawada: October 7, 2026
- Mumbai: October 9, 2026
- Dharamshala: October 16, 2026
The workshops will provide PIAs with information on the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal, its processes and functionalities.
They will also provide an opportunity to address implementation-related concerns and familiarise implementing agencies with the end-to-end digital system.
States and UTs have been requested to ensure physical participation of selected PIAs in these workshops.
Scheme Expenditure Expected to Rise from October
The Ministry also reviewed the financial status of DDU-GKY 2.0 during the preparedness meeting.
Participating States and UTs indicated that expenditure under the scheme is expected to increase once training batches begin from October 2026 onwards.
The commencement of training across more States and UTs is therefore expected to accelerate implementation as well as utilisation of funds under the programme.
Ministry Reviews Preparedness of States and UTs
The preparedness review meeting was conducted through video conferencing and was attended by senior officials from the Ministry and participating States/UTs.
The meeting included the participation of:
- Joint Secretary (Skills)
- Director (Skills)
- State-level CEOs
- State-level COOs
- Other concerned State officials
The Ministry emphasised timely target allocation, mobilisation of eligible rural youth, commencement of training batches and completion of required digital integrations.
With phased review meetings continuing, the Ministry aims to expedite implementation of DDU-GKY 2.0 and enable most participating States and UTs to begin training activities during October 2026.
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