THE UNION Ministry of Rural Development has revoked its order allowing allocation of additional targets to “performing” Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) and culling out allotted targets of non-performing PIAs under its rural youth job scheme — Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). In a notification issued on December 21, 2022, the ministry said, “It has been decided with the approval of the competent authority not to give any additional targets to PIAs. In view of this, the notification number 12/2022, dated 15.11.2022 is withdrawn with immediate effect.” “The states, which are in the process of allotting additional targets to the PIAs, may refrain from it until further orders,” the notification said. The ministry in its November 15 notification had allowed sanctioning of additional targets to performing PIAs and curtailment of targets of the non-performing agencies. DDU-GKY is a placement-linked skill training scheme for rural youth in public-private-partnership mode. Under the scheme training is provided by private sector partners, PIAs. An email sent to the official spokesperson of the ministry did not elicit any response.
