‘MISSION YOUTH’ AIMS TO EMPOWER 1 LAKH YOUNGSTERS IN KASHMIR

Chandigarh: With an aim to empower youth, and making them active stakeholders in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, the “Mission Youth” of the Union Territory Government headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has got swing with the approval of Rs 200 crore of funds from the Government of India for the financial year 2021-22.

Tabish Saleem, OSD, told The Daily Guardian, “We have ample schemes wherein our target is to empower every single class of society to develop the community and make it self-sustainable. Our Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and IAS Dr. Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary’s efforts do not let us rest even in the pandemic times, we empowered 1000 youth under Livelihood schemes while giving them vehicles and financial assistance to start their business.”

J&K Government’s program ‘Mission Youth’ launched with several aims and objectives, one of them being to win over the 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 of funds for the Mission. Headed by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the ‘Mission Youth’ includes common initiatives of the Mission include, focus on fostering positive social experience, opening District Youth Clubs, tejsawini scheme and engaging youth in cultural, recreational events, sports and ‘Bharat Darshan’ tours, etc.

The Mission has been shaped to provide post-reintegration rehabilitation, synchronization of drug de-addiction programs and social recognition to youth through programmed interventions.

Shehreyar Majeed, President of J & K Youth Development Forum says, “We have been trying our hard for the last 12 years in the valley to change youths while making them engage in organic farming, Sufi symposiums. Now, as the Govt too started helping us and it brought a big change in the attitude of youth here. The current initiative like Tejaswini scheme and Mumkin scheme is started rolled out. 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 the one-stop solution for youth aspirations.” .