Achievements, Initiatives of Youth Affairs Department in 2014

1. National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP):

1.1 In pursuance to the Budget announcement, a new Central Sector Scheme, namely, ‘National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)’ has been formulated a view to develop leadership qualities among the youth to enable them to realise their full potential and in the process, to contribute to the nation-building process. The Scheme has the following 5 components, namely,

a) Neighbourhood Youth Parliament: The platform of 2.74 lakh village-based youth clubs of NYKS will be developed in the shape of vibrant ‘neighbourhood youth parliament’ to educate the youth club members about contemporary socio-economic development issues and to involve them in debate/ discussions on such issues.

b) Youth for Development Programme: To channelise the immense youth energy towards the nation-building, by involving them in Shramadaan (voluntary labour) on a large-scale all over the country.

c) National Young Leaders Awards: To motivate the youth to strive for excellence in their respective fields by recognising and rewarding the outstanding work done by them.

d) National Youth Advisory Council: to seek active involvement of the youth leaders as well as other stakeholders in the decision-making process on the youth related issues.

e) National Youth Development Fund: To mobilise funds for youth development from non-Government sources like CSR funds.

1.2 The total outlay of the Scheme during the 12th Plan Period works out to Rs.274.61 crores. The Scheme was considered by SFC on 12.11.2014 and recommended for implementation. Thereafter, necessary approval of the competent authority has been obtained for introduction of the Scheme. Steps are now being initiated for implementation of the Scheme.

2. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS):

NYKS, with about 8 million youth enrolled through 2.77 lakh youth clubs, has been working all over the Country to develop the personality of the youth and to engage them in nation-building activities. Some significant initiatives/ achievements of NYKS are as follows:

• 56.62 lakh saplings were planted by NYKS volunteers.
• 66,740 units of blood was donated by NYKS volunteers.
• 3,383 skill upgradation training programmes were organised, involving 57,647 women youth.
• 34,303 youth have been sponsored for various skill development trainings.
• 1,114 training programmes on youth leadership and community development were organised, involving 43,224 youth.
• 1,915 theme-based awareness and education programmes were organised, involving 1,54,565 youth.
• 91 Youth Club Development Programmes organised, involving 8,378 youth.
• 20,407 youth clubs were provided with sports material and 250 Inter Youth Club Sports Meets were organised.
• 48 Programmes organised for promotion of folk arts and culture, involving 19,597 youth.
• 4,316 Programmes held to celebrate days of national and international significance, involving 4,28,388 youth.
• 35 District Youth Conventions and Yuva Kriti Programmes organised, involving 6,319 youth.
• 100 adventure camps were organised, involving 2,600 youth.
• 5 National Integration Camps were organised, with participation of 950 youth.
• 115 Life Skill Education Camps organised with participation of 4,880 youth.
• Under Adolescent Heath and Development Project, 1,856 Teen Clubs formed with 27,840 members and activities started in 1,856 villages.
• Punarjagaran (Rejuvenation) – a year-long awakening movement among youth to involve them in nation-building activities, directly covering 100 Districts, launched 02.10.2014; the Programme to culminate at Mathura, the birth place of Shri Deen Dayal Upadhyay, on his birth anniversary on 25.09.2015, with youth convention involving about 10,000 youth.

3. National Service Scheme (NSS):

NSS, with about 3.3 million student youth enrolled through 336 Universities, 15,908 Colleges/ Technical Institutions and 11,809 Senior Secondary Schools across the country, has been working for development of personality and character of student youth through voluntary community service. Some significant initiatives/ achievements of NSS during are as follows:

• 25.20 lakh saplings were planted by NSS volunteers.
• 2,70,570 units of blood was donated by NSS volunteers.
• 3 North East NSS Youth Festivals were organised in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, involving 950 youth.
• A pan-India Shramadaan Programme has been launched.
• Under Swachh Bharat Mission, more that 120 awareness rallies organised in various parts of the Country, 110 toilets for poor people constructed by NSS volunteers and cleaning of Gomti and Sabarmati rivers and other water bodies taken up.
• 36 Adventure Camps organised, involving 1,070 NSS volunteers.
• An NSS Mega Camp organised in Rajsthan involving 400 NSS volunteers from different parts of the Country.

4. Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD):

RGNIYD, located at Sriperimbudur (Tamilnadu), is a premier institution for training, research, extension and outreach initiatives on youth issues. RGNIYD has been declared as an “Institute of National Importance” through enactment of RGNIYD Act, 2012. Some significant initiatives/ achievements of RGNIYD are as follows:

• 33 Training of Trainers Programmes were conducted, involving 1,580 Master Trainers, on various subject including youth employability skills, social entrepreneurship, Gender equity, life skills and livelihood skills, disaster preparedness and risk reduction, entrepreneurship and livelihood issues, youth leadership and personality development, social harmony and national unity.
• 35 Capacity Building/ Orientation Programmes covering 3,478 youth and youth functionaries were conducted.
• 10 National and Regional Workshops on various themes held involving 605 participants.
• A new Youth-led Development Outreach Programme has been launched, to cater to the youth in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, through 250 colleges.
• A new Department of tribal and north east youth development has been set up to focus on development of tribal youth and the youth from North East Regions.
• SAARC Youth Leadership Summit for national and international youth leaders organised at Chandigarh.

5. International Cooperation:

The Department seeks to operate international youth exchange programmes with various countries to develop international perspective among the youth and also to collaborate with various international agencies on youth development. Some significant achivements are as follows:

• 5-member Indian Youth Delegation visited Sydney (Australia) to participate in the Y-20 Summit held during 12-15 July, 2014.
• 20-member Indian Youth Delegation visited South Korea during 07-16 August, 2014. In turn, 20-member South Korean Youth Delegation visited India during 16-25 September, 2014.
• 100-member Chinese Youth Delegation visited India during 11-19 September, 2014. In turn, 100-member Indian Youth Delegation visited China from 25th November, 2014 to 2nd October, 2014.
• 100-member Bangladeshi Youth Delegation visited India during 13-20 October, 2014.
• A Project on “Strengthening of NYKS and NSS”, jointly developed with UNDP/ UNV, has been approved by Ministry of Finance for implementation. The Project will be implemented over 4-year period from 2014 to 2017 at a total cost of about Rs.14 crores.