Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Youth Policy seems to have been put on the hold. The Youth Commission constituted under the policy, no longer exists and the schemes to make the education system employment-oriented are yet to be implemented. The comprehensive and ambitious policy, which defined ‘youth’, as persons in the age group of 15-29 years, was announced by the then chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a mega yuva panchayat on March 23, 2023.
The department of sports and youth welfare was to be the nodal agency for implementation of scheme with the higher education department playing a major role. Associate departments include technical education and skill development, rural development, urban administration, medical education, MSME, farmers’ welfare and agriculture etc.
Major partner organisations included MP Jan Abhiyan Parishad and Nehru Yuva Kendra. Most measures announced in 56-page Youth Policy, however, are yet to be taken. They include the decision to award Youth Icons in every district for working in the field of environmental protection. The policy provides for a separate Youth Budget.
A Rajya Yuva Salahkar Parishad was constituted under chairmanship of chief minister with 17 members on June 5 last year but the provision for constituting Yuva Salahkar Parishad at district level is yet to be implemented.
The Rajya Yuva Salahkar Parishad, which was meant for advising the state government on measures related to youth policy and youth welfare is yet to meet. Youth Resource Centres, which were to be set up in all districts to provide youth-related services, are yet to come up.
Former state director of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Bhopal, Surendra Shukla told Free Press, “Policy seems to have been put in cold storage.” Dr Nishant Khare, named chairperson of State Youth Commission, said the body had been dissolved. “It will have to be reconstituted afresh,” he added. When asked about the implementation of Youth Policy, a sports and youth welfare department official said, “We have done our part. Ask other departments what they have done.”
