Odisha CM Launches Youth Policy 2013-Quality Edu'n

The Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik who launched the 'Odisha Youth Policy 2013' at state Secretariat has announced that free laptops will be given to meritorious students at class 12.

About The Youth Policy: It ensures to create more opportunities for young women and men through quality education, enhanced opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment with consistent emphasis on social inclusion and gender equality. Another unique feature of the policy is that it actually offers a large number of takeaways to the youth and provides for a strong implementation mechanism. The policy provides for creation of several new institutions and facilities and provision of financial assistance and incentives to youth. It also envisages convergence of efforts by all Government Departments having interface with the youth in order to enable, engage and empower them in realizing their full potential

The Minister also ensured his government to make necessary efforts in order to ensure the well being of young people by opening new avenues to seek opportunities for active engagement of youth in social, economic, political and cultural processes.

During his speech, he said"The Odisha State Youth Policy 2013 aims at placing the youth at the centre stage of social, economic, cultural and political processes with focused attention on promoting access to quality education, skill development and training, employment opportunities, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship development, gender justice and equality, physical fitness and active citizenship."

"Career counselling centres at all colleges will be set up to guide the students to choose a prospective career. Similarly, scholarship for higher education and professional education will be given to students to pursue higher studies. The Mission Yuba Shakti, a new initiative under this policy, will be initiated for promotion of SHGs among the youth where they can explore their potential for their self-employment", he added.

Showing his concern towards the youths of Odisha he said "Biju Yuva Sha-Shakti-Karan Yojana will be extended to rural areas, wherein the youth clubs will be provided with financial support of rupees ten thousand. Sports and games play an important role in the development of personality. So, in this new policy initiative, special emphasis has been given on sports and physical education. Accordingly, the State Government will constitute the Sports Authority of Odisha I am happy that over 14 thousand participants representing different age groups, particularly the youth, were associated with the policy formulation process apart from hundreds of thousands of others who were connected with it through print and electronic media and social network."

"I would like to take this opportunity to compliment the Sports & Youth Services Department, the steering committee, drafting committee and programme support unit for their efforts in making the policy more than just a document. I would also like to convey my appreciation to United Nations Population Fund for providing technical and financial support to the Government in developing the youth policy. I am confident that, the youth policy will go a long way in meeting the expectations and aspirations of our young people and help them to contribute to the society while realizing their full potential", he added