Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh said today that youth of Jammu & Kashmir have immense unexplored talent and potential, which sometimes remains unutilized either because of lack of opportunity or lack of mentorship and grooming.
The same youngsters, he said, when given a chance of a wider exposure, tend to expose themselves and outdo their peers from other parts of the country.
Speaking at a get-together hosted by him for a group of nearly 30 young school children, comprising the J&K contingent participating in “Khelo India School Games”, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that when he was briefly holding the additional charge of Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2016, he had got a mega Nehru Yuva Kendra festival organised at Bhaderwah which offered a unique exposure to the local youth.
During the same intervening period of additional charge, he recalled that he had got one Sports Stadium sanctioned for each of the 22 districts of the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that in changing context and current milieu, the youngsters also deserve to be provided opportunity to train and reorient themselves to the new requirements. Citing an instance, he said, the Kandi belt in Kathua district has produced great warriors in the past, but now, young boys in this region find it difficult to make a mark because of the constraints in the new existing selection process for recruitment to military and paramilitary forces.
Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed that in his capacity as Incharge of the Department of Space and ISRO, he had, last year, finalised an MoU between ISRO and Department of Higher Education, Government of Jammu & Kashmir. He hoped that the Tele-education facilities could be used for imparting coaching for Civil-services/IAS exam from the best centres across India through satellite and for this he had also suggested that one extra hour of working could be introduced in the existing Degree Colleges in the State.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this is one of the best times happening for peripheral States like Jammu & Kashmir and North East, because the Modi Government accords highest priority to these States and is very liberal in offering every kind of support, financial or otherwise.
He expressed the hope that the selection process of youth, particularly for sports should be based purely on objective merit without any extraneous considerations whatsoever. This, he said, will not only offer a fair chance to every youth according to his talent but would also reduce the chances of grievance among the youth, he added.
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