Question : DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL YOUTH AND SPORTS CLUBS

(a) the schemes/initiatives to assist rural youth and sports clubs;

(b) whether there has been any significant development in rural youth and sports clubs across the country; and

(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (SHRI AJAY MAKEN)

(a) The Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs) have been established since 1972 with the objective of providing rural youth avenues to take part in the process of nation building and opportunities for the development of their personality and skills. These Kendras established in 501 districts of States and Union Territories undertake multifarious activities through a large network of youth clubs, Mahila Mandals and volunteers who work at the grassroots level. The major thrust of NYKs is towards the deployment and mentoring of rural youth and sports clubs at the village level. The Government has been consistently working for the infrastructural upgradation, capacity building and the professionalization of the rural youth and sports clubs. Following Schemes/initiatives are being run by the Government to assist rural youth and sports clubs :-

1.Scheme of Mentor Youth Club

2.Capacity Building of Office Bearers of Mentor Youth clubs

3.Youth Club Exchange Programme

4.Sports Tournaments

5.Provision of Sports Material for Youth clubs

6.Work Camps

7.Skill Up-gradation Programme for women

8.Skill Development Training Programme under National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT)

9.Youth Employability Skills (YES) Project in North East

10. Block & District Folk Cultural Festival

11. District/ State Youth Awards (Individual)

12. Celebration of National & International Days and Weeks

13. District Youth Convention

14. Exhibition for Youth & Handicrafts (Yuva Kriti) and State Cultural Festival

15. Rajiv Gandhi Adventure Scheme

16. National Youth Corps (NYC) to tap the potential of the youth and channelizing their energy towards nation building.

(b) Yes, Madam.

(c) There has been significant development of youth who have been associated with the youth clubs and sports clubs across the country. The developments are in terms of improvement in their organizational behaviour, managerial capacities, assuming local leadership for addressing local social and welfare issues, active participation and advocacy for nation building processes and issues confronting village community in general and youth in particular.

The youth in the villages are now more organized on a single platform in the form of youth clubs. As per the recent nationwide survey, it has been found that Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) has attracted and mobilized more than 8 million rural youth and organized them on a single platform in the form of 2.51 lakh youth and sports clubs. Out of these, 1.05 lakh youth clubs have been assessed as active whereas remaining are in their different stages of consolidation to become potentially active youth clubs.

As a step in this direction, 10,000 active youth clubs are being graduated to become Mentor Youth Clubs, two in each 5000 Blocks of the country. 20,000 youth identified as youth leaders of these clubs are being oriented and trained to spearhead youth club movement in the country so that they become pivot for rural youth development, empowerment and sustainability.

20,000 youth volunteers and motivators those who have excelled in different fields of development have been assigned the responsibility to assume leadership at grassroots level throughout the country to act as National Youth Corps (NYCs) volunteers.

NYKS provides one time Grants-in-Aid to establish sports specific youth clubs across the country. Gradually, they have become self supporting for promotion and organization of sports activities in their areas and also motivating others for sporting activities. NYKS for supplementing such youth club’s endeavour, facilitates them by providing sports materials to 50,000 youth clubs. These youth clubs now take active part in Panchayat Yuva Khel aur Krida Abhiyan (PYKKA) sponsored Sports competitions at different levels.

The mentors of youth clubs have now started taking up project on advocacy and awareness. The empowered youth clubs have now started taking up projects and schemes through community convergence.

Because of the outreach of trained youth and network of youth clubs as well as the current initiatives of NYKS, nearly all development and social welfare Ministries/Departments and International Agencies have converged their projects and programmes for implementation with NYKS.

For the welfare of youth, NYKS is also implementing projects in the field of prevention of drug abuse and alcoholism in Punjab and Manipur. Impact assessment of – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 10 States; Tribal Youth Exchange Programme; Youth Employability Skill (YES) Project; Adolescents Development and Empowerment; National Programme for Youth and Adolescents Development; Jammu and Kashmir Youth Exchange Programme; Youth Initiative for the Publicity of Message of Development and Peace in North Eastern States; Voter Awareness Programme through Election Commission; Environment Protection Awareness against AIDS and Sanitation Programme (Nirmal Bihar).

The capacity building, leadership and skills enhancement initiatives have empowered rural youth in a manner that they have started generating awareness and taking active part in the process of implementation of sports, recreation, development and social welfare activities and programmes in their respective villages with the spirit of volunteerism, cooperation and self-help. As per the study conducted, rural youth associated with NYKS have been successful in social and public life. They are highly successful and now representing local Panchayats, local governing bodies, Members of Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament. Youth Employability Skill (YES) Project being implemented as pilot project in North-East has started generating employment in North-East Region. Out of 138 youth trained under Youth Employability Skill (YES) Project, 118 youth have got placements. Another 1063 youth of North-East and J&K are undergoing training under Youth Employability Skill (YES) Project. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the training partner has assured 70% job guarantee for the trained volunteers.

A statement indicating schemes/activities undertaken for development of rural youth and sports clubs during last 2 years and current financial year is at Annexure I. A State wise statement showing targets and achievements of different programmes/activities is at Annexure II.