Overview
The Standing Committee on Rural Development, chaired by Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka, has raised concerns over the gap between training and employment under the DDU‑GYK. The committee’s report, tabled on 11 August 2026, urges stronger placement tracking, post‑placement support and the creation of district‑level placement cells.
Key Developments
- Training‑to‑placement gap: Out of 18.38 lakh rural youth trained, only 11.94 lakh have been placed, with 576 placements abroad.
- Women participation: 9.65 lakh women trained and 6.03 lakh placed – nearly 50% of total placements.
- Inadequate wages: Many placed candidates receive low salaries, leading to dropout and distress migration.
- Funding: Approved budget of ₹10,114.53 crore (2021‑26) with a revised estimate of ₹1,161.99 crore; actual spend ₹977.74 crore, leaving ₹184.25 crore unspent.
- Implementation delays: COVID‑19 disrupted approvals (2020‑23); most projects approved only in 2023‑24.
- Under‑utilisation in related schemes: ₹119.06 crore unspent in DAY‑NRLM and ₹28.21 crore in RSETIs.
Important Facts
The scheme covers 37 sectors and 816 trades. Under PIAs, the committee recommends assessment based on sustained employment, not just initial placement.
RSETI has trained 61.45 lakh people since 2009, with 44.9 lakh settled in enterprises and credit linkage to 23.5 lakh beneficiaries; women constitute about 71% of trainees.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the implementation challenges of large‑scale skill‑development programmes is crucial for GS 3 (Economy &