Concerned over growing crimes against women, the State Government has targeted to impart a robust physical fitness training to as many 2.5 lakh girls reading in Plus II and Plus III colleges on self defence and martial art under a special programme. A decision was taken to provide training to around 10, 000 students belonging to 100 colleges across the State on disaster management too.
The programme would be taken up under the Odisha State Youth Policy, an official spokesperson said after the review of the progress of implementation of the new Youth Policy 2013 by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday here. The policy had been formally launched by the Chief Minister on April 7 last.
According to official sources, as many as 200 coaches have already been selected in college level, while another 100 trainers have been roped in from the State police to provide the much needed training to girls.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister asked the Sports and Youth Welfare authorities to ensure provision of financial support of Rs10, 000 each of the registered 10,288 youth clubs by end of July. Since the application forms in the urban areas have been very less in number, the Chief Minister advised the authorities to take special steps to attract more youth clubs to avail the package to promote sports and cultural activities in which the Nehru Yuba Kendra has been adopted as the nodal agency.
It was also decided to deploy youths under the age group of 19-25 years as interns in various Government offices under an internship programme. The skilled interns would be engaged in various Government offices under Health, Forest and Environment, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Housing, ST and ST Development, Housing, Agriculture, School and Mass Education departments during the current month. The interns would be engaged for a short period of 6 months at the rate of Rs 1, 500 as stipend, the sources said.
Sources further said the Chief Minister also asked the authorities to take steps to involve the college students in disaster management programmes. Accordingly, as many as 100 boy and girl students each from 100 colleges would be given training on rescue and relief operations, search and first aid during the 2013-14 financial year. It was decided to provide vocational education to at least 1,000 girls from BPl families free of cost in different Industrial Training Institutes.
Among others, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra, Development Commissioner I Srinivash and senior officials were present.