[Indian Year Book 2022-23]* Indian Year Book Notes | Chapter 28. Youth Affairs and Sports

 

Indian Year Book

(2022-23)

Chapter – 28. Youth Affairs and Sports

 

Ø  India has the largest youth population in the world.

Ø  ‘Adolescents’ are recognized at the most important segment of youth.

Ø  Twin objectives of personality development and nation building are focused upon to channelize energises of India’s Youth.

Ø  Ministries of Indian Government alongwith state governments and other stakeholders are working for the growth of Indian youth with Department of Youth Affairs acting as a facilitator and coordinator.

 

National Youth Policy

Ø  The National Youth Policy, 2014 targets holistic development of India’s Youth to their full potential so that the country can progress.

Ø  For this purpose the above policy has identifi ed the following fi ve objectives—

·         Create a productive workforce that can make a sustainable contribution to India’s economic development.

·         Develop a strong and healthy generation equipped to take on future challenges.

·         Instil social values and promote community service to build national ownership.

·         Facilitate participation and civic engagement at all levels of governance: participation in politics and governance, and youth engagement

·         Support youth at risk and create equitable opportunity for all disadvantaged and marginalised youth.

 

Schemes for Youth

After re-structuring and consolidating all the schemes related development of youth, Department of Youth Affairs has segregated them into 3 fl agship schemes as follows:

 

S. No.                     Names of Old Schemes                                        Names of New Schemes

1.              Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)                Merged into a new ‘umbrella’ Scheme called

                                                                                                     “Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram  

                                                                                                       (RYSK)”.            

2.              National Youth Corps (NYC)

3.              National Programme for Youth & Adolescent

                  Development (NPYAD)

4.               International Cooperation

5.               Youth Hostels (YH)

6.              Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organisations

7.            National Discipline Scheme (NDS)

8.            National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)

9.           National Service Scheme (NSS)                                                         National Service Scheme (NSS)

10.        Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD)       Rajiv Gandhi National

                                                                                                                                       Institute 

                                                                                                                                       of Youth Development

                                                                                                                                       (RGNIYD)

 

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Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram

§  Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan

·         Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) was launched in 1972.

·         It has presence in 623 districts through Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs).

·         The objective of the programme is to engage the youth in nation-building activities.

·         The areas of focus of the NYKS activities include literacy and education; health and family welfare; sanitation and cleanliness; environment conservation; awareness on social issues; women empowerment; rural development; skill development and self-employment, entrepreneurship development; civic education; disaster relief and rehabilitation, etc.

·         The youth associated with Nehru Yuva Kendras are not only socially aware and motivated but are also inclined towards social development work through voluntary efforts.

 

National Youth Corps

Ø  The Scheme of National Youth Corps (NYC) was launched in 2010-11 and the same is being implemented through NYKS.

Ø  The main objectives of the Scheme are: to set up a group of disciplined and dedicated youth who have the inclination and spirit to engage in the task of nation-building; to facilitate the realization growth (both social and economic); to act as group modulators and peer group educators; and to act as role models for the younger cohort, especially towards enhancement of public ethics, probity and dignity of labour.

Ø  Under the scheme, youth in the age group of 18-25 years are engaged as volunteers to serve up to maximum 2 years in nation-building activities at block level.

 

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development

Ø  Under this scheme, fi nancial assistance is provided to government/non-government organisations for taking up youth and adolescent activities.

Ø  The assistance under NPYAD is provided under 5 major components:

·         Youth leadership and personality development;

·         Promotion of national integration;

·         Promotion of adventure;

·         Development and empowerment of adolescents; and

·         Technical and Resource development.

 

Under the component promotion of national integration of NPYAD, a National Youth Festival is organized in January every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (12th January), which is celebrated as National Youth Day.

 

International Cooperation

Ø  The Department endeavours to collaboration with other countries and international organisations on various youth issues.

Ø  It also collaborates with UN Agencies like United Nations Volunteers (UNV)/United National Development Fund (UNDP) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) on various youth related issues.

 

Youth Hostels

Ø  Youth Hostels are built to promote youth travel and to enable the young people to experience the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Ø  The construction of the youth hostels is a joint venture of the central and state governments.

 

Assistance to Scouting and Guiding Organisation

Ø  Assistance is provided to the scouting and guiding organisations, with a view to promote the scouts and guides movement in the country.

Ø  This is an international movement aimed at building character, confi dence, idealism and spirit of patriotism and service among young boys and girls.

Ø  Scouting and guiding also seeks to promote balanced physical and mental development among the boys and girls.

Ø  The fi nancial assistance is provided to scouting and guiding organisations for various programmes such as organisation of training camps, skill development programmes, holding of jamborees, etc. The activities, interalia, include programmes related to adult literacy, environment conservation, community service, health awareness and promotion of hygiene and sanitation.

 

National Young Leaders Programme

Ø  ‘National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)’, was formulated with a view to develop leadership qualities among the youth to enable them to realise their full potential and in the process, to contribute to the nation-building process.

Ø  The programme aims at motivating the youth to strive for excellence in their respective fi elds and to bring them to the forefront of the development process.

Ø  The programme benefi ciaries are the youth in the agegroup of 15-29 years.

Ø  This central sector scheme has the following components:

Ø  Neighbourhood Youth Parliament (NYP);

Ø  Youth for Development Programme (YFDP);

Ø  National Young Leaders Awards (NYLA);

Ø  National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC); and

Ø  Youth Development Fund (NYDF).

 

National Service Scheme

Ø  National Service Scheme (NSS) was introduced in 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the youth through voluntary community service. Education through Service is the purpose of the NSS. The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Very appropriately, the motto of NSS is “not me, but you”. An NSS volunteer places the ‘community’ before ‘self’.

 

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development

Ø  Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, by virtue of enactment of RGNIYD Act, 2012. The RGNIYD has been conferred the status of ‘Deemed to be University’ under ‘De-novo’ category in 2008, by the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resources Development. The Institute functions as a vital resource centre with its multi- faceted functions of offering academic programmes at postgraduate level encompassing various dimensions of youth development, engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and conducting training/capacity building programmes in youth development, besides the extension and outreach initiatives across the country.

 

Sports

Ø  Sports and games have always been seen as an integral component in all-round development of human personality. Apart from being means of entertainment and physical fi tness, sports plays crucial role in generation of spirit of healthy competition and bonding within the community.

 

India at the Summer Olympics

Ø  India’s performance in Tokyo Olympic 2020 was excellent as compared to other years.

Ø  India won one gold, two silver and four bronze.

Ø  While Neeraj Chopra bagged gold in athletics, silver went to Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Ravi Kumar Dahiya for weightlifting and wrestling, respectively, and bronze was won by the men’s hockey team, P.V. Sindhu for badminton, Lovlina Borgohain for boxing and Bajrang Punia for wrestling.

 

Paralympics

Ø  A total of 17 athletes won a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics as India registered its best-ever haul at the mega event. India fi nished fourth with fi ve gold medals, 8 silver, and 6 bronze.

Ø  Avani Lekhara — gold for women’s 10m air rifl e shooting standing and bronze - women’s 50m rifl e 3 positions shooting;

Ø  Sumit Antil - gold for- men’s javelin throw;

Ø  Krishna Nagar - gold for - badminton men’s singles;

Ø  Manish Narwal - gold in - men’s P4 mixed 50m pistol;

Ø  Pramod Bhagat -gold in - badminton men’s singles;

Ø  Bhavinaben Patel - silver in - women’s singles .table tennis;

Ø  Nishad Kumar - silver in - men’s high jump;

Ø  Devendra Jhajhaa - silver for men’s javelin throw;

Ø  Yogesh Kathuniya - silver in - men’s discus throw;

Ø  Suhas L. Yathiraj - silver for - badminton men’s singles;

Ø  Mariyappan Thangavelu - silver in men’s high jump;

Ø  Singhraj Adhana - bronze in - men’s 10m air pistol shooting ; and silver in - men’s P4 mixed 50m pistol;

Ø  Sundar Singh Gurjar - bronze in - men’s javelin throw;

Ø  Praveen Kumar - silver for men’s high jump ;

Ø  Harvinder Singh - bronze - men’s individual recurve - open archery,

Ø  Manoj Sarkar - bronze in - badminton men’s singles and

Ø  Sharad Kumar - bronze in men’s high jump.

 

National Sports Policy, 2001:

Ø  It envisages mainly broadbasing and promotion of excellence in sports. The salient features of this Policy are:

·         broadbasing of sports and achievement of excellence;

·         upgradation and development of infrastructure;

·         support to national sports federations and other appropriate bodies;

Ø  Strengthening of scientific and coaching support to sports;

·         incentives to promote sports;

·         enhanced participation of women, scheduled tribes and rural youth;

Ø  Involvement of corporate sector in sports promotion; and

Ø  Promotion of sports mindedness among the public at large.

 

Sports Authority of India

Ø  The Sports Authority of India (SAI) was established in 1984 as a registered society primarily to ensure effective maintenance and optimum utilisation of the sports infrastructure that was built in Delhi during ASIAD, 1982.

Ø  It is now the nodal agency in the country for broadbasing sports and for training of sportspersons to achieve excellence in national and international events.

 

Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education

Ø  The Institute was established initially as a college in 1957, the centenary year of the fi rst war of Independence.

Ø  The Institute offers the following full-time courses:

·         Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) (4 year degree course);

·         Master of Physical Education (MPE) (2 year course);

·         M.Phil. in Physical Education (1 year course); and

·         Ph.D. in Physical Education.

National Sports University

Ø  Government of India decided to set up a National Sports University in Manipur.

Ø  The University will be set up in Imphal District.

Ø  It promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching.

Ø  The University imparts Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programmes in sports coaching, sports sciences and physical education in various disciplines.

 

Khelo India

Ø  A new umbrella Scheme “Khelo India” was launched during 2016-17 after merger of existing scheme Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA), Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and National Sports Talent Search System Programme (NSTSSP).

Ø  The Scheme is being implemented as a central sector scheme.

Ø  The revamped Khelo India has twelve components, which aim at achieving the twin objectives of the National Sports Policy 2001- broadbasing of sports and achieving excellence in sports.

Ø  Its 12 verticals are: play fi eld development; community coaching development; state level Khelo India centres; annual sports competitions; talent search and development; utilisation and creation/ upgradation of sports infrastructure; support to national/regional/state sports academies; physical fi tness of school-going children; sports for women; promotion of sports among persons with disabilities; sports for peace and development; and promotion of rural and indigenous/tribal games.

 

Promotion of Excellence in Sports

§  Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations

·         Under this Scheme, the Government of India provides assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) for augmentation of sports resources.

 

§  Scheme of Human Resources Development in Sports

·         The Scheme of Human Resource Development in Sports, was launched revision of the “Scheme of Talent Search and Training”.

·         The main focus of the Scheme is to give emphasis on the academic and intellectual side of sports management.

 

Sports Development Fund

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) was instituted with a view to mobilising resources from the government as well as non-governmental sources, including the private/corporate sector and nonresident Indians, for promotion of sports and games in the country. To make contributions to the fund attractive, 100 per cent exemption from income tax is available on all contributions.

 

§  Incentive Schemes for Sportspersons

·         Various schemes to give incentives to sportspersons to take up sports are also implemented by the Ministry.

§  Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

·         Launched in 1991-92 with the objective of honouring sportspersons to enhance their general status and to give them greater dignity and place of honour in society, the scheme was earlier called Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratan Award.

·         Under it, an amount of 7.5 lakh is given as award for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over a period of four years immediately preceding the year in which award is to be given.

 

§  Arjuna Award

·         The award was instituted in 1961. To be eligible for the award, a sportsperson should not only have good performance consistently for the previous four years at the international level with excellence for the year for which award is recommended, but should have also shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. The awardee is given a statuette, a certifi cate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of 5 lakh.

 

§  Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement

·         This award was instituted in 2002. It is given to honour those sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career. The awardee is given a statuette, a certifi cate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of 5 lakh.

 

§  Dronacharya Award

·         This award was instituted to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions. The awardee is given a statuette of Guru Dronacharya, a certifi cate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of 5 lakhs.

 

§  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy

·         This trophy was instituted in 1956-57. The top overall performing university in the inter-university tournaments is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, which is a rolling trophy.

 

§  Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar

·         With a view to recognising the contribution made to sports development by entities other than sportspersons and coaches, the government has instituted a new award called ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar’ from 2009, which has four categories, namely, identifi cation and nurturing of budding/young talent; encouragement to sports through corporate social responsibility; employment of sportspersons and sports welfare measures; and sports for development.

 

Scheme of Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons

Ø  This Scheme was launched in 1994. As per the Scheme, those sportspersons, who are Indian citizens and have won gold, silver and bronze medals in Olympic Games, World Cup/World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Para-Olympics and Para-Asian Games, have attained the age of 30 years and have retired from active sports career are eligible for pension for life. Rates of pension have been doubled from April 2018.

 

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund

Ø  The name of National Welfare Fund for sportspersons was changed to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for sportspersons from 2017.

Ø   This Fund was set up in 1982 with a view to assisting outstanding sportspersons of yesteryears, living in indigent circumstances who had won glory for the country in sports.

Ø   Assistance is given in the form of lumpsum fi nancial assistance to, sportspersons or their families in case of sustaining a fatal injury during training for, or participation in, an international competition; sportspersons sustaining injury other than a fatal injury; families of sportspersons living in indigent circumstances, for medical treatment of sportspersons; and for sports promoters (referees, coaches and umpires) living in indigent circumstances.

 

Assistance for Anti-Doping Activities

Ø  Doping is the deliberate or inadvertent use of a substance or method banned by Medical Commission of International Olympic Committee/ World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) by sportspersons. In pursuit of gold and glory.

Ø  The Government of India became one of the members of the Foundation Board of WADA, set up with the initiative of the International Olympic Committee.

 

National Anti Doping Agency

Ø  This organisation is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control programme in sports in the country.

Ø  The Anti Doping rules of NADA are compliant with the Anti Doping Code of WADA.

 

National Dope Testing Laboratory

Ø  It is an autonomous body under this Ministry.

Ø  It is responsible for testing of urine and blood samples of sportspersons. Apart from human dope testing, NDTL has diversifi ed in the area of horse dope testing and profi ciency testing programme.

 

 

 

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