Exactly a year ago, the government had announced the Goa Youth Policy 2015, with several benefits to the youth but till date the policy just remains on paper.
It also announced allocation of funds for the Goa State Youth Policy-2015, which was unveiled by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on National Youth Day – Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, in Panjim last January.
The 20-page youth policy booklet had been divided into eight components comprising target groups, thrust areas, policy recommendations and roadmap for implementation among others.
Like several service helpline numbers, government’s plans include proposing to commission 24×7 ‘youth helpline’ to provide professional psychological counselling, information service and answering of multi-sector and multi-level queries.
Besides, adolescent health education for teenagers, self employment workshops for unemployed youth, skill development for semi-skilled and school drop outs, eradication of social evil and vices programmes, expansion of sports and recreational opportunities and adventure activities are among 24 different types of schemes and courses enlisted for the year.
In the wake of a series of cases of youth falling prey to drugs, the policy’s long term plan is to establish de-addiction and rehabilitation centres not only for youth affected by drug abuse, but also for alcohol addicts.
The policy, which spells out short-term, mid-term and long-term plans under the roadmap for implementation, recommends nationalist values, social responsibility and tolerance, employable skills, education, health and healthy lifestyle, sports and recreational facilities, gender justice, awareness about environment, art and culture, science and technology, and industry and socio-cultural impact, for the growth and development of youth.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said that the Goa State Youth Policy 2015 spells future of the state, which is in the hands of youth, and the policy will be instrumental in the creation of educated, cultured and healthy youth.
He said that the change would not come overnight and will be a slow but steady process.
The short-term plans in the youth policy included special seminars, workshops, competitions to enhance the effective awareness of civic sense within the target group; promotion of yoga, meditation and spirituality through discourses/ symposia/ seminars at various levels in order to improve tolerance levels; organising seminars, workshops to create awareness about the importance of consuming balanced diet; providing comprehensive counselling services for the enhancement of mental wellness; organising special seminars, workshops and activities to inculcate the social values and attaining eradication of social evils; and finally encouraging youth clubs and NGOs to conduct village level activities for the same.
The mid-term plans lays emphasis on attracting non-student youth for participation in sports and games by organising special tournaments and also special coaching camps for the same; a special festival for showcasing traditional sports at taluka and state level; stress on organising sports meets for differently-abled youth; and conducting seminars/ discourses/ workshops for youth to acquaint them with civic laws and procedures to create awareness about local-self government.
The long-term plans speaks about establishment of Goa State Youth Welfare Corporation as well as youth resource centres at taluka level; development of a website as an information portal and creation of Goa youth database; setting up of Centre for Training and Research Development in a two tier system; promotion of science and technology hubs in the state and encouraging youth by giving incentive for outstanding achievers; promotion of Cultural Youth Exchange Programmes; setting up of rehabilitation centres (ashrams) for assisting young widows and their children to lead a dignified life; establishment of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres for youth affected by drug abuse, alcoholism and other vices; and periodical audit of the Goa State Youth Policy and schemes as well as recommendations under it.
Furthermore, the thrust areas mentioned in the policy for the effective framework of the same include employable skills, as the modern day market has a huge demand for skill based human resource.
“Hence, imparting skill-based education beyond the formal educational set up would allow youth to explore new avenues and make then self-reliant,” it says.
Speaking about another thrust area – education and youth – the policy states that, education is the key to a dignified life for a human being.
“Youth needs to be sensitised and made aware about the importance of education in their lives,” it points out, stating that there needs to be a sincere effort to minimise drop-outs and attract them to avail value-based and quality education.
“This would equip them to face the rigours of the competitive world and bring-in the desired transformation,” it notes.
