De-radicalization, rehab, to win hearts & minds of youth
Every district to have super specialized centre
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 27: Launched with the aim of de-radicalization of youth, their rehabilitation and making them stakeholders in development of Jammu and Kashmir, the “Mission Youth” of the Union Territory Government headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has got shot in the arm with approval of Rs 200 crore worth funds from the Central Government for 2021-22 taking total funding to Rs 300 crore as the UT will be contributing Rs 100 crore in the Mission.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the J&K Government’s programme ‘Mission Youth’ launched with several aims and objectives, one of them being to win over hearts and minds of youth through affirmative action, has received major backing from the Government of India with Rs 200 crore worth support for the Mission for the next financial year. The UT Government has kept Rs 100 crore worth fund for the Mission.
Headed by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the ‘Mission Youth’ has Advisors, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and majority of Administrative Secretaries in the Governing Body while the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the Member-Secretary. Only few days back, the Government had appointed senior IAS officer Shahid Iqbal Choudhary as CEO of the Mission.
“Common initiatives of the Mission include de-radicalization of youth, their rehabilitation, focus on fostering positive social experience, opening District Youth Centres and engaging youth in cultural, recreational events, sports and ‘Bharat Darshan’ tours etc,” the officials said, adding the Mission has been asked to provide post-reintegration rehabilitation, synchronization of drug de-addiction programmes and social recognition to youth through Programmed Interventions.
The ‘Mission Youth’, according to the officials, has been assigned the task to engage youth by, making them stakeholders in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, win over hearts and minds of youth through affirmative action, provide them an opportunity of livelihood generation, economic growth, social recognition and system support.
Two Centres of Excellence in the automobile sector, one each in Kashmir and Jammu regions will be shortly started, the officials said, adding that every district of Jammu and Kashmir will have super-specialized district youth centres.
The Mission, which has been established as a Society, will provide institutional mechanism for psycho-social support to youth on scientific lines and synchronize and coordinate all schemes pertaining to the youth for making them result-oriented. It will also provide means of institutional social outreach to young population.
Campus recruitments in collaboration with reputed institutions/organizations of the country, promotion entrepreneurship, sector specific livelihood generation programmes, systematic assistance to potential entrepreneurs, concurrent business tracking and support, professional career guidance, sponsored targeted coaching and customized skill development trainings for the youth are among other key provisions of the Mission, the officials said.
“At an estimated investment of Rs 300 cr in next one year the Jammu and Kashmir Government intends to engage with youth to give practical shape to their aspirations, ideas and career options,” according to the officials.
The current initiative rolled out by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha is indicating a major shift in focus of the Government to realize the power of youth for the overall development of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. From education, skill development, career guidance, placement to entertainment and entrepreneurship, the ‘Mission Youth’ will serve as one-stop solution for youth aspirations, they said.
The Mission, according to sources, will shortly engage with premier private sector organisations across the country for placement of youth.
It may be mentioned here that the Administrative Council had approved registration of the ‘Mission Youth’ as a Society under the Societies Registration Act.
To enhance skill and employability of the youth, the Mission has partnered with institutions such as ICICI Foundation, BSE Institute and Ashok Leyland among many other Corporate houses.
According to the officials, self employment is a key pillar of the Mission and the Government intends to reach out to 80 per cent youth under it in an organized way.
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