Shillong(Meghalaya) , June 27 : With an average age of 29, India has the advantage of having one of the youngest populations in the world. Meghalayas population ratio of 74% people under the age of 35 is greater than the national average, and this distinct demographic lead offers a wide range of prospects to the State.
There are over 3000 registered youth clubs and organisations across the State working for the development, engagement, and rejuvenation of the youth.
To enable such organisations to take concrete action that would have a larger impact on youth development, Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, today launched a pioneering initiative in the State – Youth Engagement through Empowered Youth Organisations (YESS).
Through this initiative, registered entities focusing on youth development and empowerment could apply for financial assistance up to INR 1.00 Lakh if the entity matches the criteria and is deemed fit by the constituted proposal evaluation committee.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Conrad Sangma, said, “With the youth dominating our state demographic, it was imperative that the State Government took measures to create positive impact on the community. The youth of Meghalaya played a pivotal role during the pandemic with on-ground management of affairs for contact tracing, planning and delivery of essential supplies, awareness campaigns etc.
The program YESS is in line with the State Government’s vision of empowering the youth of Meghalaya. It is them who can lead the State towards further growth and prosperity. The key objective is to provide the proper opportunities for the abundant potential in our youngsters, as well as the freedom to seek excellence without financial or societal constraints.
The program has been formulated in pursuance to the State Youth Policy notified in 2021 which outlines the commitment of the Government of Meghalaya for youth engagement,empowerment, and rejuvenation. The broad objectives of this program include Empowerment of youth clubs and organisations for planning and implementation of grassroot level programs and activities pertaining to key themes affecting the Youth, Positively channelizing energies of the youth through empowered youth organisations, Enhancement of the youth development ecosystem by the promotion of effective collaboration with key stakeholders in the State working towards youth empowerment and development and Creation of an annual corpus fund for extension of financial support to registered not for profit youth clubs, organisations, and associations.
It is anticipated that the youth organizations taking part in this initiative will participate in activities like environmental protection and conservation programs and workshops, financial literacy workshops and campaigns, awareness dissemination workshops and seminars, career counselling and guidance workshops and clinics, mental wellbeing seminars and campaigns; and more.
The State Governments commitment to youth involvement, empowerment, and rejuvenation is a testament towards their commitment of making Meghalaya one of the top 10 states of the country.
