New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): Over 75,000 candidates enrolled for training in special camps organised across the country under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM).

In a statement, the Ministry of Rural Development has said that as part of the AKAM celebrations, around 1,183 'mobilisation camps' were organised across the country under the DDU-GKY programme between August 13 to 19.

State Rural Livelihood Missions and State Skills Missions came together with various Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs) to make the all-India event a grand success, the statement noted.

"More than 371 PIAs successfully mobilised close to 83,795 candidates during the week-long camps through the length and breadth of the country. The camps not only succeeded in generating interest in the DDU-GKY programme but also succeeded in enrolling close to 75,660 candidates for upcoming training. The camps were organised both virtually and physically by the PIAs following all Covid safety protocols," the ministry said.

The DDU-GKY, launched on September 25, 2014, is a nationwide placement-linked skill training program funded by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).The DDU-GKY seeks to build the placement-linked skills of the poor rural youth and place them in wage employment across various sectors of the economy.

The programme has an outcome led design with guaranteed placements for at least 70 per cent trained candidates.

The DDU-GKY programme is being implemented in 27 states and three Union Territories for rural poor youth with an emphasis on placements.

"More than 871 PIAs are training rural poor youth in close to 611- job roles through more than 2,381 training centres. Cumulatively, 10.94 lakh youth have been trained and 7.07 lakh youth have been placed till July 31 this year," the ministry added.