DDU-GKY 2.0 Training to Begin Across Most States From October

New Delhi, September 19, 2026: The Ministry of Rural Development is set to begin training batches under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) 2.0 across most States and Union Territories from October 2026, with 34,920 rural youth scheduled to start skill training during the month.

Preparations for the rollout were reviewed with 14 States and UTs in the first phase, including Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana and Bihar.

According to the Ministry, 1,164 training batches involving 34,920 rural youth will commence in October. The 14 States and UTs have a sanctioned target of 3,57,112 rural youth to be trained by December 31, 2027.

Across the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal, 5.6 lakh training targets covering more than 1,200 projects have already been allocated by 24 States and UTs, while other States are at advanced stages of allocation.

DDU-GKY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at providing placement-linked skill training to poor rural youth. Training programmes range from three to 12 months, depending on the course.

Under DDU-GKY 2.0, targets have been allocated to all 31 participating States and UTs for the 2026-28 period. The Ministry has asked States and UTs to speed up the allocation of targets to Project Implementing Agencies and ensure that training batches begin within the prescribed timelines.

States and UTs have been directed to complete the allocation of targets to Project Implementing Agencies by October 31, 2026. The Ministry said more than 5 lakh targets have already been allocated to agencies for mobilisation of eligible rural youth, with most States expected to begin mobilisation and training during October.

The Ministry is also using the DDU-GKY 2.0 Integrated Portal to manage the project lifecycle digitally. The platform is designed to improve efficiency, transparency and monitoring of training projects.

The integration of the portal with State Treasury Portals was also reviewed. States and UTs where the integration is pending have been asked to complete the process by September 30, 2026, enabling online payments through the Grameen Kaushal Portal.

To help Project Implementing Agencies understand the digital platform, the Ministry will conduct regional workshops in hybrid mode at four locations in October.

The workshops will be held in Shillong on October 5, Vijayawada on October 7, Mumbai on October 9 and Dharamshala on October 16. The sessions will focus on the DDU-GKY 2.0 portal, its processes and functionalities, while also addressing implementation-related issues faced by agencies.

The financial progress of the scheme was also reviewed, with participating States and UTs indicating that expenditure is expected to rise as training batches begin from October.

The review meeting was attended virtually by senior officials, including the Joint Secretary (Skills), Director (Skills), and CEOs, COOs and other representatives from participating States and UTs.