Access to Skill Development Programmes

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy has said that the Government of India requires implementing agencies for skill development schemes to ensure participation of disadvantaged social groups particularly women and weaker sections of the society. The Ministry of Rural Development is undertaking a Placement Linked Skill Development scheme for rural poor youth called Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). This scheme provides for social inclusion through mandatory coverage of 50% for Scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates and 15% for Minority candidates at national level. DDU-GKY also provides for a mandatory coverage of 33% women candidates in all the projects.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Rudy said, DDU-GKY provides that the Gram Panchayat shall have a key role in generating awareness about the program, facilitate mobilization of candidates, assist in job melas and in tracking candidate placements. However, data on the number of Gram panchayats involved in the DDU-GKY is not maintained centrally. There is no proposal to set up State/District Skill Development Coordination Boards under DDU-GKY.

****

AD/DB