Odisha Targets Training of 62,050 Rural Youth Under DDU-GKY 2.0

Bhubaneswar: Odisha aims to train 62,050 rural youth under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) during 2025–2028, with an approved outlay of nearly Rs 750 crore. The state has sanctioned 115 projects under the programme, with a renewed focus on quality training, timely implementation and employment opportunities.

The progress and implementation of the scheme were discussed at a two-day State-Level Capacity Building Programme on DDU-GKY 2.0, inaugurated by Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

Organised by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) under the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, the programme brought together officials from the Union Ministry of Rural Development, National Informatics Centre (NIC), NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS), National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), and the Technical Support Agency team of Grant Thornton Bharat LLP. Representatives of Project Implementing Agencies and programme functionaries from across Odisha also participated.

Addressing the gathering, Naik said skill development and employment generation were essential to achieving the vision of Viksit Odisha 2036 and Viksit Bharat 2047. Describing the state’s youth as its greatest strength, he stressed the need to provide rural youth with industry-relevant skills and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

He also highlighted the potential of young people from tribal, KBK, Aspirational and western Odisha districts, and called for strengthening skilling initiatives to help them access emerging employment opportunities across key sectors.

In her welcome address, ORMAS CEO Dr Monica Priyadarshini said nearly 2.10 lakh rural youth had been trained under DDU-GKY since its inception, with more than 1.23 lakh securing employment across different sectors. She said the focus under the new phase would be on improving training delivery and ensuring meaningful employment outcomes through stronger industry partnerships.

The two-day programme features technical sessions by experts from the Ministry of Rural Development, NIC, NABCONS, NIRDPR and the Technical Support Agency. The sessions cover DDU-GKY 2.0 guidelines, the Unified IT Platform, project management, trainee mobilisation, placement tracking, financial procedures and monitoring systems.

The capacity-building initiative is aimed at strengthening the institutional capabilities of implementing agencies and programme functionaries to ensure effective execution of DDU-GKY 2.0 across Odisha and improve skilling and employment outcomes for rural youth.