Youth policy to look into edu, employment sectors

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 18

The Haryana State Youth Policy, which the state Cabinet approved on February 13, proposed setting up of a youth commission.

As per the policy, the ‘State Youth Commission’ will oversee the implementation of the programmes for education and empowering the youth of the state.

The commission would be headed by a chairman and “such number of members as deemed fit”, stated the policy.

“We will set up a youth commission but it will take some time,” said Sports Minister Anil Vij.

Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, has prepared the youth policy.

There will be two other levels to oversee the implementation of the policy. As Education, SC/BC Welfare, Women and Child Development, Social Justice and Empowerment, Technical Education, Employment and Training, Health and Family Welfare, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Science and Technology, Forests and Environment, Culture, Tourism, Information and Technology, Agriculture, Revenue and Disaster, Home, labour and Industries Departments are involved in planning for youth, a high-powered committee under the CM with ministers, Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Finance, will review the implementation of youth policy and give directions.

A taskforce under the Chief Secretary will be formed with administrative secretaries of the departments concerned, which will set out a criterion and draw a list of indicators for measuring the progress at the state, district and block-level for the implementation of programmes.

At the district level, Deputy Commissioners will be responsible for coordination among different departments.

The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs will be responsible for networking and collaboration at the micro and macro level and prepare annual action plans. An annual report will be submitted to the high-powered committee indicating the progress and gaps.

The rationale of the youth policy, which aims at addressing the age bracket of 15-29 years, is to “capitalise on demographic transition which presents the state an opportunity to enable, engage and empower the youth”.

The priority areas of the policy are education, employment and skill development, entrepreneurship, health, sports, promotion of social values, community engagement, participation in politics and governance, youth engagement, inclusion and social justice.

The evaluation of the policy will be carried out through neutral and credible agencies once every three years and programmes will be redesigned on the basis of these results.

Focus areas 

• The rationale of the youth policy, which aims at addressing the age bracket of 15-29 years, is to “capitalise on demographic transition which presents the state an opportunity to enable, engage and empower the youth”.
• The priority areas of the policy are education, employment and skill development, entrepreneurship, health, sports, promotion of social values, community engagement, participation in politics and governance, and social justice.