Secretary RDD reviews progress on Himayat Scheme; lays roadmap for DDU-GKY 2.0 rollout

SRINAGAR, JUNE 25: Secretary, Rural Development Department ((RDD) and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, today chaired a high level review meeting to assess the progress on Himayat (DDU-GKY) scheme besides deliberating on the upcoming rollout of Himayat 2.0 across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting focused on evaluating the performance under the ongoing Annual Action Plan 2025–26, reviewing the status of sanctioned projects and outlining a future roadmap for enhanced youth skilling, placement and livelihood generation.
The meeting was attended by Chief Operating Officer, Himayat, Rajneesh Gupta, Joint Director (Planning), Kamal Kumar, State Project Manager, Sajad Choudhary and other senior officers of Himayat Mission Management Unit (HMMU).
While reviewing the performance under Himayat 1.0, the Secretary was informed that 34,294 youth have been trained under the scheme, so far. Of which, 14,702 candidates have been successfully placed across the diverse sectors. He acknowledged the significant impact of the scheme in creating livelihood opportunities for the rural youth, particularly in underserved and remote regions.
The Secretary was appraised that the revamped Himayat (DDU-GKY) 2.0 has been launched with a target to skill and place 2,248 candidates for 2025-26 fiscal. Under the new version, the training strategy will be aligned to the emerging high-growth sectors such as IT-Enabled Services, Telecom, Aviation, Green Energy and Cybersecurity. It will also be supporting the traditional sectors, thereby ensuring holistic coverage of market-driven employment avenues.
He emphasized that special focus shall be given on rural and border districts, aiming to mainstream the youth from these regions through industry-relevant training and entrepreneurial promotion collaboration.
During the meeting, a detailed status review of sanctioned projects was undertaken.
Under the Action Plan 2025–26, the scheme is set to adopt a more dynamic and accountable approach, incorporating psychometric assessments for career alignment, improved fund disbursement mechanisms and a strong emphasis on placement tracking, counselling services and grievance redressal.
In addition, the Secretary directed for early completion of the Skill Gap Analysis, which is expected to play a key role in aligning the training with current and future industry needs. He also emphasised the importance of conducting the Job Melas in Jammu and Srinagar, as well as the Himayat Alumni Meet to be held in Srinagar in mid-July 2025.
Highlighting the importance of visibility and outreach, the Secretary stressed on scaling up Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives. These will include wall painting drives, FM radio campaigns and pamphlet distribution, to raise awareness and participation in the Himayat scheme.
A detailed presentation was made by the Chief Operating Officer, Himayat, outlining the physical and financial progress of the scheme, key achievements and the strategy for implementation under DDU-GKY 2.0.