Latest news with #DDU-GKY
The Print
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Print
Where is Skill India money going? It's a Rs 48,000 crore mystery
The 'skilling' being done is not at all at par with the funds being pumped in. Which is why we must dive deeper into this labyrinth and analyse the top skill development and employment schemes—together constituting about Rs 48,000 crore of the total allocation. This contradiction compels us to ask hard questions. Where is the money going? Who is designing the curriculum? Who are the trainers? Are these training institutes credible, or just another cog in the wheel of fund misappropriation and political patronage? Each year, the government allocates thousands of crores to skilling initiatives, projecting them as the backbone of India's growth story. Yet the paradox remains. From education to healthcare to manufacturing, all industries continue to face an acute shortage of skilled manpower, even as unemployment rises. Despite an avalanche of policies, programmes, courses, and certifications, the ground reality is different—one of missed opportunities and systemic failures. Also Read: No one should have to choose between a roof and two meals. But India's migrants do, every day Skilling or false hope through PMKVY? The flagship skilling scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), launched on 15 July 2015, has a total fund allocation of Rs 10,570.18 crore. Of this, only Rs 9,803.23 crore was utilised as of March 2024, leaving Rs 766.95 crore unspent and funds mismanaged. The scheme provides skills through 36 Sector Skill Councils such as Aviation, Agriculture, and Beauty. But the types of skills being imparted are ambiguous and often lead to low job satisfaction. Media reports show that many candidates trained under PMKVY were offered dismal salaries or ended up in unskilled jobs despite holding certificates. One X user, Ashish Rathi, wrote on the platform: 'My cousin was promised a PMKVY course with job placement in Gurugram. He trained for 15 days, got a certificate and never heard from them again. This is no skilling but false hope!' Official data shows that there was a drastic 93 per cent drop in the number of candidates trained, from 1.1 crore in Phase 2 to 7.37 lakh in Phase 3, and further down to 5.43 lakh in Phase 4. Has the government exaggerated the numbers in Phase 2, which shows a 553 per cent jump from Phase 1? Another concerning thing is the certificate inflation created by the huge number of issuances, while no significant number of placements were done. The placement rate fell from 2.53 lakh (12.7 per cent) in 2016 to a scanty 2,042 (0.37 per cent) in PMKVY 4.0. The Sharada Prasad Committee (2016) pointed out that most of the PMKVY training was short-term in duration—some even less than 10 days—with no proper recognition of the prior learning of the candidate. How can a person learn a skill effectively in that short period of time? Missing records and results Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) was launched in September 2014 to provide high-quality training in more than 250 courses such as Beauty Therapist, Export Assistant, Mason Tiling, and Baking Technician, among others. But there is no transparency in the curriculum framework or in the qualifications of the trainers. The Pratigya Skill Development Centre in Delhi, despite training over 250 students, has reportedly only been able to show 27 per cent placements officially due to cash-based salary payments from employers, making it impossible to upload verifiable proof. Expenditure, according to Revised Estimates (RE) till 2022, is about Rs 9,111 crore. Though 16,90,046 people were trained and 10,97,265 candidates (65 per cent) were placed till date (in 11 years), this suggests the government has failed to create proper awareness among the rural public—revealing a sense of flippancy. An individual, Akash Dawar, recounted, 'My brother was enrolled under DDU-GKY for a retail course in UP. He got a job in a different city, left home, only to find there was no work, just unpaid training. He came back disillusioned and unemployed.' Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana—comprising the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), launched in 2011 and 2013 respectively—was allocated a total of Rs 4,351 crore, aimed at empowering poor families through skill training and credit facilities. But there is no data regarding what kind of skills are being provided to rural women or street vendors. Has it really achieved its goal? It is heard that a few people misuse SHG credit with the help of corrupt officials. Asha, a worker, recounted, 'Our SHG took loans under NRLM and was promised tailoring training. The trainer came twice in a month and then disappeared. We're still paying EMIs.' Also Read: RBI's new gold loan guidelines could push borrowers back to moneylenders A betrayal of trust The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), launched in 2016 to empower youth via apprenticeship, has also been a major failure. The government has failed to provide state-wise data of the beneficiaries, and there is no guarantee of candidates getting proper skills or fair pay. An RTI filed in June 2018 revealed that out of the Rs 10,000 crore allocated for NAPS, only Rs 108 crore had been disbursed to beneficiaries by mid-2020—about 1 per cent utilisation of the total approved budget. NAPS 2.0 (2022–26) has been allotted Rs 1,942 crore, without the government giving any clarity on the outcomes of NAPS 1.0. Statistics paint a grim picture. India's youth—its promise, its future—is being left behind. Is this the roadmap to becoming a 'Vishwa Guru'? This is not just bureaucratic or systemic inefficiency, but a betrayal of trust. The government must either bring transparency, accountability, and results to the skilling ecosystem, or have the moral clarity to reallocate these Rs 48,000 crores toward critical areas like public health, education, and sanitation. Because what's at stake is not just money. It's the future of millions of young Indians, and the very credibility of India's development narrative. Karti P Chidambaram is a Member of Parliament for Sivaganga, and a Member of the All India Congress Committee. His X handle is @KartiPC. Views are personal. (Edited by Asavari Singh)
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cyber security plus initiative in Arunachal
Itanagar: The Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the NIIT Foundation, New Delhi, for the implementation of cyber security plus initiative across the DDU-GKY and RSETI training centres among the rural youths of Arunachal Pradesh. The memorandum of understanding was signed between the two sides during the two-day performance review committee meeting at the Sushma Swaraj Bhavan organised by the ministry of rural development at New Delhi, ArSRLM programme manager (knowledge management and communication) Charu Okam said in an official statement on Wednesday.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
World Youth Skills Day celebrated in Greater Noida: Focus on empowering people through AI, digital skills
Greater Noida: World Youth Skills Day was celebrated on Tuesday with great enthusiasm in Greater Noida, with a series of discussions and events dedicated to empowering young people with cutting-edge skills. Stakeholders from government agencies, training institutes, and industry partners gathered to highlight how initiatives like the Skill Development Mission are transforming the lives of the youth by equipping them with industry-relevant skills and facilitating employment opportunities. Hundreds of young people in Greater Noida have found gainful employment through the Skill Development Mission. Beneficiaries shared that apart from professional training, they are also being provided with essential amenities like food and accommodation during their learning period, ensuring that financial hardship does not stand in the way of acquiring valuable skills. The scheme also places a strong emphasis on making women self-reliant by offering tailored training and job opportunities. This year's World Youth Skills Day carries special significance as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Skill India Mission. Launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mission was designed to transform India into a global hub of skilled talent by equipping youth with industry-relevant capabilities, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable livelihoods. The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is part of the Ministry of Rural Development's National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and aims to reduce poverty by providing sustainable employment to over 550 lakh poor rural youth. It focusses on placing candidates in jobs that offer regular monthly wages at or above the minimum wage, significantly improving the livelihoods of families across India. World Youth Skills Day is observed every year on July 15 to underline the strategic importance of empowering young people with skills necessary for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The United Nations General Assembly declared this day in 2014, following a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka. The first celebration in 2015 coincided with the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which places strong emphasis on quality education and decent work for all. The theme for this year, 'Youth Empowerment Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Skills,' reflects the transformative role of technology in shaping careers and societies. As AI continues to redefine industries, building digital literacy and advanced technical capabilities among youth is critical to ensuring they become leaders of change rather than passive participants. The celebration in Greater Noida included motivational addresses, skill demonstrations, and inspiring success stories from beneficiaries. Anita, a participant of the programme, shared her journey: 'Earlier, I didn't know what to do. With this Yojana, I came to Greater Noida. Now I am working as a floor manager in a hospital. This scheme changed my life.' Manisha, another beneficiary, highlighted the entrepreneurial boost the scheme has given her. 'I took three months of sewing training. We now have around 20 machines and are getting orders from Noida, Delhi, and Gurugram. We have done business worth Rs 30 lakh so far," she told IANS. The event also showcased how initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and the Skill India Digital Hub are accelerating India's journey to becoming a global skill powerhouse. Since 2015, over 1.6 crore youths have been trained under PMKVY across 38 sectors ranging from manufacturing and traditional crafts to healthcare, IT, electronics, and retail. Importantly, 45 per cent of those trained under PMKVY are women, and a significant proportion belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, demonstrating the government's focus on inclusive growth. This widespread training effort has contributed to a notable increase in job-readiness among college graduates — from 34 per cent in 2014 to over 51 per cent in 2024. With nearly 65 per cent of India's population under the age of 35, skilling and youth empowerment remain critical to securing the country's economic future.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Centre's rural skilling efforts show mixed results in Telangana
HYDERABAD: The Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (EGMM), under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), has shown varied outcomes in rural skill development across two phases between 2016 and 2025. During the first phase (2016–19), EGMM exceeded its target by training 50,578 candidates against a goal of 47,311, achieving 106.91%. Of these, 27,701 secured jobs, resulting in a 58.55% placement rate. The project operated through 46 Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) with a financial outlay of Rs 407.50 crore. Of this, Rs 280.95 crore was released and Rs 223.05 crore spent. As of May 2025, all funds from this cycle have been utilised. The second phase (2019–25), however, has lagged. Out of a target of 45,829, only 36,240 candidates have been trained so far (79.08%), with 17,767 placed, reflecting a 38.77% placement rate, nearly 20% lower than in the earlier phase. An additional 3,783 candidates are still undergoing training. This phase is being implemented through 56 PIAs. While Rs 417.08 crore was allocated for the current phase, only Rs 191.29 crore has been released. However, Rs 222.47 crore has been spent, possibly from earlier balances or reallocations. The remaining Rs 34.70 crore remains unutilised. Data accessed by TNIE reveals that EGMM is still awaiting the Rs 70 crore committed by the state government as its share. The delay is reportedly impacting training delivery and placement services. Experts suggest that to revitalise the employment mission, the government must ensure timely fund release and establish stronger industry linkages.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Central team visits skill devpt training centres
Bhubaneswar: A central team comprising two members from the ministry of rural development visited various training centres set up under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). The skill training programme is implemented in the state by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and panchayati raj and drinking water their visit, the team comprising Shashi Kumar Yadav, mission manager ( skill development ), and Lokesh Sukhwani, mission manager (legal affairs), held discussions with officials regarding various issues in the implementation of the DDU-GKY at the ORMAS office in this, the central team visited a training centre at Jagatpur in Cuttack district. They also visited the training centres at Jatni and Kantabada in Khurda inspecting the training centres, the central team conducted discussions with the representatives of project implementing agencies on issues such as project closure, release of funds and matters related to the management of the Kaushal Bharat A central team comprising two members from the ministry of rural development visited various training centres set up under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list The skill training programme is implemented in the state by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and panchayati raj and drinking water their visit, the team comprising Shashi Kumar Yadav, mission manager (skill development), and Lokesh Sukhwani, mission manager (legal affairs), held discussions with officials regarding various issues in the implementation of the DDU-GKY at the ORMAS office in this, the central team visited a training centre at Jagatpur in Cuttack district. They also visited the training centres at Jatni and Kantabada in Khurda inspecting the training centres, the central team conducted discussions with the representatives of project implementing agencies on issues such as project closure, release of funds and matters related to the management of the Kaushal Bharat
