The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Monday launched a statewide raid following information about large-scale irregularities and corruption in the implementation of the DDU-GKY scheme in Kerala.

Raids are being conducted at 62 locations, including 47 selected project implementing agencies across the state, the DDU-GKY state implementation office in Thiruvananthapuram, and 14 district implementation offices, as part of an operation code-named "Operation Skill Guard".

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is a skill development scheme of the Union Ministry of Rural Development aimed at providing industry-recognised training to rural youth to help them secure employment. Of the total project cost, 60 per cent is borne by the Centre and 40 per cent by the state government.

According to the VACB, certain agencies allegedly misappropriated funds by claiming admissions without conducting proper training and by producing fake salary certificates and bank statements to show that trainees had secured jobs after completing courses.

It was also alleged that officials at district and state-level implementation offices, responsible for verification and compliance, colluded in the irregularities.

Further allegations include releasing funds to agencies that did not meet prescribed norms, sanctioning projects without verifying basic infrastructure at training centres, and falsely projecting staff members as trainees to siphon off funds. Based on this information, the VACB launched the operation.