To enhance employability and promote sustainable livelihoods in rural India, a comprehensive state-level review of skill development programmes was held here in Haryana.

National Mission Manager (Skills) and Nodal Officer for Haryana, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, Abu Osama Saifi, visited Deen Dayal Upadhyaya – Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY )Skill Development Centres in Kurukshetra and the Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) in Ambala, as part of the review.

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The visit focused on evaluating the implementation progress of DDU-GKY 1.0 and assessing the preparedness for the rollout of DDU-GKY 2.0 in Haryana, said an official statement on Tuesday.

During surprise inspections at two DDU-GKY centres in Kurukshetra, Saifi interacted with trainees, trainers, and staff, and reviewed training modules, placement processes, and the performance of Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs).

He acknowledged the efforts of the implementation teams in equipping rural youth with employable skills and appreciated the contribution of the centres in narrowing the rural-urban skill divide.

At RSETI Ambala, Saifi engaged with women trainees and commended their entrepreneurial drive and dedication to self-reliance. He recognised the critical role of RSETI in encouraging women-led enterprises and fostering local entrepreneurship.

He said that the centres in Haryana are making commendable efforts in training and empowering rural youth. The enthusiasm of the trainees and the commitment of the training staff reflect the potential of these programmes in driving inclusive development.

Saifi emphasised the need to integrate basic IT and digital literacy across all training programmes under DDU-GKY and RSETI, underlining its importance in meeting the demands of a rapidly digitising job market.

The field visit was followed by a detailed review meeting at the HSRLM State Headquarters in Panchkula, where the progress and performance indicators of the DDU-GKY program were discussed.

The review meeting was chaired by the CEO, HSRLM, Suraj Bhan, IFS (Retd). During the session, he addressed the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) and held one-on-one discussions with them regarding their targets, timelines, and challenges.

He also shared valuable insights on the state’s strategic approach towards the effective implementation of DDU-GKY 2.0.

The visit reaffirmed MoRD’s commitment to advancing skill development through a robust and future-ready DDU-GKY 2.0 framework.