Port Blair, July 4: The Directorate of RD, PRIs & ULBs, A&N Administration has organized the 4th Project Approval Committee (PAC) meeting held on 04th July 2022 at 10:30 am under the Chairmanship of Shri. Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, Secretary (RD) for approval of revised trades and targets to the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Sagarmala Convergence Project and also to review the progress made under implementation of scheme in this UT.

Shri. Hemant Verma, Deputy Secretary, MoPSW (Sagarmala), Shri. Deepak Pundir, Director (RD/Panch.), Officials from the line departments and representative of all PIAs attended the meeting.

Deen Dayal Upadhyay-Grameen Kaushalya Yojna (DDU-GKY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development that aims to skill the underserved, rural youth in order to provide them with a regular source of income. DDU-GKY is a skilling and placement initiative with the objective to “transform rural poor youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce”.

The Ministry of Rural Development, GoI has deactivated and modified many trades on 31st March 2022. The Project Implementing Agencies have submitted applications to opt for new trades in place of old deactivated trades and the Project Approval Committee after detailed discussion approved the new trades opted by the PIAs.

During the meeting, Secretary (RD/P) discussed with all the Project Implementing Agencies to provide effective skill development trainings to the identified rural youth coming for training under the scheme in order to enable them to have sustainable livelihood opportunities and empower them to find meaningful work. 

The Padmaranjeeta Education Trust, Project Implementing Agency (PIA) is one of the 05 PIAs that initiated the training programme for Rural Mason Trade at Koraput, Odisha and shared the details of training curriculum as well as facilities provided to the trainees from A&N Islands. Feedback from the trainees is being taken on regular bases over phone as well as through Video Conferencing by the State Level Teams of ANIRLM. The Candidates are very happy to have training and are now excited to start job after placement by the PIAs. The trainees have expressed gratitude to the GoI and Department of RD & PRIs, A&N administration as well as the PIA Padmaranjeeta Education Trust for giving the opportunity to develop their skills and have sustainable livelihood.