Now

work will be done in 'batch mode' and not 'project mode'

UPSDM

under guidance of MoRD organized a two-day workshop in Agra

Pulkit

Khare, Director of Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission, inaugurated

workshop

Emphasis

on making youth of rural India self-reliant through 'sustainable skills'

Agra/Lucknow,

07 May (HS): A two-day regional workshop began in the Taj city of Agra with the

aim of turning the dreams of the youth of rural India into reality and making

them globally competitive. Mission Directors, Chief Executive Officers and

experts from nine states of Eastern and North-Eastern India, including Uttar

Pradesh, participated in this workshop organized by the Uttar Pradesh Skill

Development Mission (UPSDM) under the guidance of the Ministry of Rural

Development (MoRD), Government of India. This workshop was organized with the

aim of rejuvenating rural India through the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen

Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes

(RSETIs) and adapting these schemes to modern needs.

The

workshop was inaugurated by Pulkit Khare, Mission Director, Uttar Pradesh Skill

Development Mission, by lighting the lamp. Welcoming the delegates, he said

that this two-day session should be considered a base camp from

which we will move forward to greater heights. He said that we must introspect

on where we made mistakes in DDU-GKY 1.0 and which states performed

exceptionally well. This is a platform to learn from each other. Our goal is

not just to create annual plans, but to implement them on the ground, because

skill development happens on the ground, not in files. He emphasized that

training for rural youth should not be just a course, but a means of

personality development. We must keep the beneficiary at the center and think

about how much our training has changed their lives.

Santosh

Tiwari, Director, Ministry of Rural Development (Skills), Government of India,

highlighted future strategies at the workshop. He explained that the next phase

of the scheme has received Finance Ministry approval for the 16th

Finance Commission. He stated that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, houses

will be built, roads will be constructed, and a time will come when the country

will become saturated in these areas, but skill development can never be

saturated. We will need continuous re-skilling and up-skilling. He assured the

states that the Ministry will soon release the mother sanction. He

urged the states to utilize the funds optimally, saying, We must fully

utilize all four installments this time so that our expenditures are visible on

the ground.

Through

technical sessions at the workshop, it was explained that the new version (2.0)

of DDU-GKY has undergone extensive changes. Batch payment mode has been

implemented instead of project mode, and the entire process has been

digitalized. Placement periods have also been extended to ensure more

sustainable employment for youth. Courses in green technology, AI, and emerging

sectors are now being added to RSETI.

The

workshop included special sessions for MIS (Management Information System)

teams. Mission Director Pulkit Khare stated that MIS teams provide the

technical cutting edge to projects. Expert officials from the Ministry and NIC

held one-on-one discussions to address complex technical aspects such as

onboarding, training, and placement tracking. On this occasion, COO of DDU-GKY

Ashish Kumar, Finance Controller of (UPSDM) Sandeep Kumar, Assistant Director

Dr. M.K. Singh along with other senior officers and team members of the

department were present.

On

the first day of the workshop, representatives from Andaman and Nicobar, Assam,

Mizoram, Maharashtra, and Arunachal Pradesh shared their best practices. The

conclusion drawn from everyone's presentations was that the Ministry's true

mandate is to bring the youth at the back end of rural India into the

mainstream to realize the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. This

workshop will prove to be a milestone in fulfilling the resolve of a

self-reliant India. On Friday, the second day of the workshop, presentations

will be given by Sikkim, Odisha, and host Uttar Pradesh.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi