220 tribal youths from LWE-affected areas of Chhattisgarh, MP and Bihar in Delhi for exchange programme
A day-long exposure to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Delhi was among the key highlights for a group of 220 tribal youths from Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, who are in Delhi these days as part of the Centre’s Tribal Youth Exchange Programme. The youth, in the age group 18-22, belonged to the Sukma and Rajnandgaon districts of Chhattisgarh, Balaghat of Madhya Pradesh and Jamui of Bihar.
The programme is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This is the 14th edition of the programme, which started in 2006, for the “development and mainstreaming of tribal youth”, with financial support from the Department of Left Wing Extremism (LWE), Ministry of Home Affairs. During the financial year 2022-23, 26 such programmes are being organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) across the country, said a statement by the YAS ministry Wednesday.
Other highlights during the Delhi visit include discussions of topics such as ‘Jal, Jangal and Jameen’, academic sessions on the issues of left-wing extremism and Naxalism, and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and their relevance in tackling left-wing terrorism, officials from the ministry said.
YAS Minister Anurag Thakur said, “We now plan to send our youth to different villages at the border and spend at least a day there”. Officials in the ministry said the programme will now be extended.
14वाँ आदिवासी युवा आदान-प्रदान कार्यक्रम में आये इस युवक का कहना था की वह नेता बनना चाहता है और पहले गांव का सर्वेक्षण करके उसकी जरूरतों के हिसाब से कार्य करेंगे। #14thTYEP #tribalyouth@Nyksindia pic.twitter.com/61pZFh4Zba
— Office of Mr. Anurag Thakur (@Anurag_Office) October 19, 2022
“Youth from the metro cities, including Delhi, will be sent to border areas infested by extremism, to sensitise them about the issues locals face there and form an affinity with places they would not visit otherwise,” said a senior official.
This programme aims to sensitise LWE tribal youth to the rich cultural heritage of India and to enable them to appreciate the concept of unity in diversity, expose them to development activities and industrial advancement and help them develop emotional linkages with their peer groups in other parts of the country and enhance their self-esteem.
The key activities of the programme are interactive sessions with Constitutional authorities such as the President and vice-president, other dignitaries and eminent personalities, panel discussions, lecture sessions, and industry exposure visits related to career guidance and sporting events. The participants leave Delhi on October 21.
