JAMMU, February 12, 2026 — Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level review meeting today to evaluate the progress of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) – HIMAYAT scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.
Aimed at skilling rural youth for sustainable livelihoods, the Chief Secretary emphasized the urgent need to meet training targets under the revamped HIMAYAT 2.0 within set timelines. To ensure accountability, he directed that payments to Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) be strictly linked to their actual placement performance, mandating a result-oriented approach to improve employment outcomes for the region’s youth.
Secretary of the Rural Development Department, Aijaz Asad, reported that the initial phase of the program (2016–2026) successfully trained 36,316 candidates across the Union Territory. Under the new DDU-GKY 2.0 framework effective since April 2025, J&K has been tasked with training 2,248 candidates for the 2025–26 financial year, supported by an outlay of ₹37.64 crore.
Impressively, 1,838 candidates have already completed their training. For the current year, 850 candidates have been placed in various sectors, supported by an expenditure of ₹27.49 crore.The meeting also highlighted enhanced monitoring measures under HIMAYAT 2.0, including live-streaming training sessions for real-time quality assessment.
Currently, 13 PIAs are providing specialized instruction in diverse trades such as Supply Chain Executive, Multi-Skill Technician, and General Duty Assistant. To bolster outreach, the department has utilized “Kaushal Rath” mobilization vans and “Kaushal Parv” events to engage eligible youth.
Chief Secretary Dulloo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing quality training and securing minimum monthly wages of ₹12,000 for placed candidates to ensure long-term economic stability.
