YOUTH WELFARE, SPORTS & GAMES
Among the activities of the Ministry in the field of Youth Welfare, Sports and Games, during the year under Report, the establishment of 400 Nehru Yuvak Kendras all over the country in order to mobilise the youth of the country, both student and non-student, in constructive nation-building activity, deserves special mention. This was part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the country's independence. In addition,, an impressive mass youth rally was organised in November 1972. Details of other programmes and projects relating, to Youth Services, games and sports continued-during the year are given in what follows.
National Service Scheme Originally conceived as an alternative to the compulsory National Cadet Corps Programme (NCC) the National Service Scheme (NSS) Was to cover every boy student studying in the first two years of the degree course who did not join the NCC-an exemption being made only in respect of outstanding sportsmen provided under the National Sports Organisation (NSO). Both NCC and NSS were, however, to be voluntary for girls. The objective of the NSS is to make the student community to render service to the community and at the same time to arouse and develop a sense of social consciousness among them. But owing to the constraint of resources the Ministry has been asked to implement the NSS/NSO scheme on a selective and voluntary basis, at a cost of Rs. 6.5 crores during the Fourth Plan. Of this Rs. 5 crores are meant for NSS Programme and the balance of
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Rs. 1.50 crores for NSO. The per capita cost has been estimated at Rs. 150 per year, the Central share being Rs. 100 and the State's Rs. 50. The Universities have been allowed to utilise Rs. 120 (Rs. 70 of the Centre's share and Rs. 50 being the State's share) per student per year for the promotion of the programme. This grant of As. 120 'per NSS student per year is to be spent by the University mainly as under:
Rs. 20 for organisational and overhead expenses, Rs. 60 for camp expenditure, @ Rs. 4 per day for 15 days. and
Rs. 40 for procurment of assets like tents, utensils, implements, vehicles etc.
The balance of Rs. 30 is to be spent by the Union Government towards grants to various schools of social work which have been attached to various universities to give orientation training to NSS teachers, develop the programme and organise all-India camps and also for grants to three designated institutes viz. Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Bombay, Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi and the I.I.T. Kharagpur, for research and evaluation, for providing necessary training facilities and for producing literature, necessary for the NSS programme.
The NSS programme was launched in September, 1969 in 40 selected educational institutions covering 40,600 students. The scheme has been extended to above 75 Universities during subsequent years and the target of enrolment of students for the year 1972-73 is 1,60,000 while the target for the year 1973-74, being the last year of the Fourth Plan has been fixed at 1,92,000 students.
A total sum of Rs. 42,70,984 has been santioned to the State Governments of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Mysore, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
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U.P. Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab for implementation of the National Service Scheme. A sum of Rs. 60,000 has also been sanctioned to Chandigarh Administration, Chandigarh.
Another amount of Rs. 2,63,986 has been sanctioned to the schools of social work viz., Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi, Loyala College of Social Sciences. Trivandrum, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta, Department of Social Work, Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, Madras School of Social Work, Madras, Ahmednagar College, Ahmednagar, Indore School of Social Work, Indore, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi, Lucknow University, Lucknow, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, and Birla Institute Of Technology and Science, Pilani for orientation of teachers and organisation of seminars and for holding camps. A sum of Rs. 1,37,861 has been incurred on the staff and equipment of the 4 NSS Zonal Centres and 9 NSS Regional Centres.
The social services renewed by the University students covered many aspects like adoption of a village by a University for intensive social uplift work, carrying out of socio-medical surveys, setting up of medical centres, imparting training to rural women in sewing, embroidery and knitting etc. Work in the urban areas ranged from social service to slum dwellers, mass immunization and sanitation drives, running of welfare centres, adult education programmes for the poorer sections of the community, blood donation and campaign work in slum areas. Social service under this scheme was also rendered in the form of help to patients in hospitals, inmates of the orphanages, Cheshire Homes and welfare institutions for the physically handicapped. Work projects were also carried out. The most important social service rendered during the year 1971-72 was in the Central refugee camps set up for refugees from Bangla Desh. Batches of NSS students from various universities served in these camps for 10 to 15 days at a time by rotation. While proceeding to the refugee camps, the NSS students also collected donations in cash and kind for the refugees.
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The NSS acts as a catalytic agent for promotion of various programmes for the benefit of the community. The main emphasis is to focus attention on the eradication of adult illiteracy, provision of drinking water supply in the villages, rural electrification. minor developmental' projects in the rural areas and improvement of the conditions in the slum areas. The service of NSS volunteers will be utilised mainly for the adult literacy programme in the Nehru Yuvak Kendras being set up in each district. The Government has also sanctioned a scheme for the establishment of 16 Sri Aurobindo Bal Kendras in. the slum areas in the cities of Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. The programme for educations And recreation in each Bal Kendra will be developed and executed by the students enrolled in the National Service Scheme assisted by the teachers of nearby colleges.
Youth Welfare Boards and Committees Under the scheme for Youth Welfare Boards and Committees grant is given on ex-post-facto basis. to universities on receipt of audited accounts together with a detailed, and comprehensive report of the activities, planned and pursued during the year.
During the report under review a total sum of Rs. 98.359 has been sanctioned to the South Gujarat University, Surat, Gauhati University, Gauhati, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, University of Mysore, Kurukshetra University, Jadavpur University, Gujarat University, Guru Nanak University, Magadh University and Punjab University.
National Programme for Non-Student Youth Consequent on the recommendations made by the National Advisory Board on Youth, this Ministry prepared a National Programme for Non- student Youth with an outlay of Rs. 5
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crores for the Fourth Plan period. The National Programme included the following schemes with the financial implications indicated:
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. Establishment of Youth Centres at
the District and Block levels 250.00
2. Development of Play fields in urban areas 85.00
3. Setting up of Recreation Centres in
two Metropolitan cities 13.00
4. Development of Camping Sites 40.00
5. (a) Development of cycling, trekking
and hiking routes 70.00
(b) Adventure facilities for cycling
canoeing, coastal sailing, mount-
aineering and climbing
6. Training Programmes for Youth
Leaders 7.20
7. Work Centres 30.00
8. Miscellaneous 4.80
500.00
These proposals were considered and approved by the Planning Commission. The Ministry of Finance, while agreeing to the implementation of the schemes relating to development of play-fields and establishment of work-centres, with an outlay of Rs. 115 lakhs during the Fourth Plan, suggested that the other schemes be deferred until the Bangla Desh refugee problem is settled. Orders were accordingly issued for implementation of the schemes for the development of play-fields and work centres.
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Under the scheme of Work Centres, financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh has already been sanctioned by Government of India to the Calcutta Youth Self-Employment Centre (CYSEC) a voluntary organisation registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860 (Act 21 of 1860). The CYSEC is a joint venture sponsored by a representative cross-section of industries, business-enterprises, social service organisations and financial institutions and has undertaken a number of projects offering facilities for self-employment to unemployed youth.
During this year the Ministry of Finance were once again approached for concurrence to the remaining schemes included under the National Programme and the following two Schemes have since been approved for implementation from the year 1972-73 :
(i) Establishment of Nehru Yuvak Kendras in 100 Districts.
(ii) Training Programme for Youth Leaders.
This year the expenditure on the Nehru Yuvak Kendras will be limited to the average of four months for which a provision of Rs. 15,000.00 per Centre has been made. The expenditure under this Programme will be about Rs. 15 lakhs.
During the year 1972-73, financial assistance will be given for approved training Projects of one month duration each for 50 Youth Leaders for each course at the rate of Rs. 8.00 per day. It is proposed to provide financial assistance for the training of 400 Youth Leaders during this year at an estimated cost of Rs. 96,000.00
Total financial assistance under the above two schemes will be Rs. 1.6 lakhs (approximately).
In addition, as a measure of promotion of adventure activities among the youth, this Ministry has agreed in principle to the provision of financial assistance amounting to Rs. 2 lakhs to the Explorers' Club of India, Calcutta in connection with the
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construction of a sailing boat for undertaking a sailing expedition to Indonesia. Financial assistance of Rs. 20,000 has also been sanctioned to a project of the Young Explorers' Association, Calcutta for undertaking a bamboo-raft expedition.
National Integration-Inter-State Student-Teacher Camps on "Our
India Project" The camps are conducted to provide opportunities for the exchange of visits by groups of students from one part of the country to another to help them to learn about their rich cultural heritage and history, discover their common bonds and the underlying theme of national unity amidst the cultural variety and diversity. Financial assistance has been given to the National Council of Educational Research and Training and Voluntary Organisations, to organise camps under this scheme of 10 to 15 days duration in which participants from schools and 4 or 5 different States stay in a school in a sixth State. Under "Our India Project", 100 selected schools are helped to collect information from schools and organise the "Our India Exhibition" to be shown around neighbouring schools. These projects envisage an expenditure of Rs. 50 lakhs during the Fourth Plan period.
The Government of India have also approved from the year 1972-73, holding of Language Environment Camps by the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore through its regional Language Centres, as part of the scheme of promotion of national integration amongst school children. Under this programme, batches of students in one state studying the regional language of another State will camp for 10 days in the company of a few language teachers in the region where the language they are learning is the mother tongue. Such camps will enable the campers to have first hand knowledge of the environment in which these languages operate and their contacts with the local population by means of their recently acquired knowledge of the language of the region will promote national integration.
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Indian Mountaineering Foundation The Indian Mountaineering Foundation is an autonomous organisation to promote mountaineering, rock climbing as well as other adventure programmes. The Foundation receives grantin-aid from this. Ministry, and gives financial assistance for approved mountaineering expeditions. Grant-in-aid amounting to Rs. 1,62,133 has been sanctioned to the Foundation up to the period ended with December, 1972.
The Foundation is sponsoring an international meet of mountaineers in 1973 and this Ministry is assisting this venture to the extent of Rs. 81,000/-.
Assistance to Voluntary Organisations Under this scheme financial assistance is given to voluntary organisations of an all India character for activities engaged in or promoting national integration. Significant experimental or pilot projects, research in youth work, training of personnel for youth work, organisation of conferences, tours, festivals, seminars, refresher courses, workshops devoted to problems of youth welfare, camps and any other services which help in strengthening national cohesion qualify for assistance under the scheme.
The scheme is being continued during 1972-73 with an allocation of Rs. 1 lakh and for the period ending with December, 1972 financial assistance was given to the extent of Rs. 74,478 to 8 institutions/agencies for promoting activities in this field.
Scouting and Guiding Financial assistance is given for the promotion of scouting and guiding, which is an international movement. The objective is character building among boys and girls, training them in the art of citizenship and inculcating in them a love of the country and a broad- minded approach which will take into account the opinions of others. This Ministry gives financial assistance to the National Headquarters of Bharat Scouts and Guides for,
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promotion of Scouts and Guides activities by meeting part of its organisational expenses, as well as expenditure on approved items like training camps, national and international Jamborees and participation in international events like camps and rallies. Possibilities are also being explored of utilising the services of the Bharat Scouts and Guides and the All India Boys Scouts Association in training as Scouts and Guides the Non-student youth in the areas where the Nehru Yuvak Kendras have been established.
This Ministry bar, also assisted the Boys Scouts and Guides in inviting Rovers and Rangers from Bangla Desh to witness the Samagam which is to be held at the National Training Centre, Pachmarhi. The Bharat Scouts and Guides also invited National Commissioner, Bangla Desh Boy Scouts Samiti for participation in the President's Rally. On behalf of this Ministry, the Bharat Scouts and Guides will be looking after the organisational arrangements in connection with the visit of a Scout Rover Group of the Dacca University in January, 1973.
Participation in International Conferences In 1971, the Commonwealth Heads of Governments agreed that activities in the field of youth be expanded and to review the whole complex of youth problems with particular reference to the problem of unemployment, a meeting of Commonwealth Ministries concerned with youth matters be convened. As a prelude to it, therefore, an official level meeting was held in London from 5th to 9th June, 1972 to deliberate and prepare papers for discussion of the Commonwealth Ministers for youth to be held later. A delegation of 2 officials under the leadership of Shri P. K. Patnaik, Deputy Secretary, in this Ministry attended the official level meeting. Shri K. P. Geethakrishnan, Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat (Department of Cabinet Affairs) was the other member of the delegation. The ministers meeting was held from January 29, to February 3 at Lusaka.
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A meeting of experts on services to Out-of-school Youth under the auspices of UNESCO was held in Bangkok from 9-10-1972 to 13-10-1972 to study the problem of out-of-school youth in Asian Countries. Shri P. K. Patnaik, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry attended the meeting and contributed a paper on the subject.
United Nations Volunteer Scheme The U.N. Volunteer Programme has now been in operation for a year. This Ministry has been entrusted with the responsibility of sponsoring candidates from this country in the various fields for which offers are received through I.S.V.S. (International Secretariat for Voluntary Service) who are coordinating recruitment of volunteers for UNV Project.
To ensure proper selection of suitable candidates, an Inter- Ministerial Selection Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary in this Ministry. The representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) along with a specialist in the available field of nomination are represented on the committee.
So far we have recommended to ISVS the nominations of 29 candidates for various UNV Projects obtaining in 6 countries. Some of these candidates have been approved by the UNV Programme and recommended to the countries concerned.
In October, 1972, the ISVS held the "Second Consultation on the United Nations Programme" at Vienna (Austria). India was represented at this Consultation by our permanent Mission in Geneva. There has been a useful exchange of views on various aspects of the Programme and the suggestions made there are being studied by the Government with a view to making full utilization by maximum participation in the Programme.
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Cultural Delegation Proposals