The major highlights of the Department of Youth Affairs during the year 2020 are as follows:
Jan Andolan – Awareness and Education to Observe Appropriate Behaviour Norms to Combat COVID-19
Care for the elderly and Divyangs during Covid
Adopting appropriate behaviour norms by people are really required to contain the spread of COVID-19 Pandemic. Considering the above, NYKS & NSS started Jan Andolan– Awareness and Education to Observe Appropriate Behaviour Norms to Combat COVID-19 with a view to educate& motivate people to observe Covid appropriate behaviour. The role of NSS and NYKS has been appreciated by Prime Minister in his Mann ki Baat broadcasts during last 7-8 months. On the website “covidwarriors.gov.in”, out of 1.59 crore warriors populated on the site, more than 60 lakhs belong to Department of Youth Affairs. NYKS & NSS have successfully reached 6.47 Crore Citizens through various activities such as teaching how to make Face Masks at Home & their right use, following Social Distancing, Hand Wash to maintain Hygiene, De-Stigmatization of disease, Myths and Misconceptions, Promoting Immunity Boosting AYUSH measures, Encouraging people for COVID-19 Testing, Encouraging Download and use of Aarogya Setu.
Details of some of the activities are as below:
- 2.19Crore persons motivated by volunteers to download Aarogya Setu App.
- 61.35 Lakh Volunteers enrolled on covidwarriors.gov.in
- 1.46 Crore citizens trained in making face masks at home.
- 22.78Lakh elderly people given care for their protection against the COVID-19.
- 7.39 Lakh Divyangs reached out and given care during the period.
- 19 Lakh volunteers added during COVID-19 Pandemic.
- More than 62 Lakh volunteers trained on modules of IGOT/MOHFW/WHO/NCDC.
Face masks distribution by NSS Volunteers
Hand sanitization drive carried out by NSS Volunteers at exam centres.
President of India virtually conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards: The President of India Ram Nath Kovind virtually conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards for the year 2018-19 on 24th September, 2020 from Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi . Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju attended the ceremony from Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The National Service Scheme (NSS) Award for the year 2018-19 was given to 42 awardees in 3 different categories like University/ +2 Council, NSS Units and their Programme Officers and NSS Volunteers.
Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan celebrates Constitution Day: Department of Youth Affair’s Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS) celebrated Constitution Day on 26th November, 2020 with the objective to disseminate basic tenets and spirit of Indian Constitution, Fundamental Duties and the life and works of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. NYKS organized Constitution Day Youth Club Activities in a campaign mode with the support of National Youth Volunteers, Youth Leaders, and Members of Youth Clubs throughout the country. As a part of the above, 4.27 Lakh Youth Volunteers from 81,473 villages participated in the Webinars/Talks on Constitutional Values and Fundamental Duties; #Samvidhan Diwas was promoted with 7,304 Posts and 27,756 Images; 30,769 Posts of #MeraKartavya shared with impressions numbering 2.76 Lakh; 15,680 Buzz creation/ Publicity Activities for the promotion of campaign with the participation of 8.80 Lakh Youth and other stakeholders; 661 Painting Competition with the participation of 18,523 Youth; 964 Experts delivered lectures on Constitution and life of Sh. B. R. Ambedkar Ji with the participation of 28,149 Youth; 1,326 Slogan Writing activities with the participation of 25,236 youth; 144 Online Quiz Programs with the participation of 1,927 youth; 205 Blood Donation Programs with participation of 14,759 youth; 615 Preamble walls on Fundamental Duties put up. The Extent of total participation was 35.61 Lakh citizen.
FIT INDIA Campaign–
“Fit India Campaign” is organised by NYKS with a view to disseminate the theme of Fit India Campaign among maximum no. of people and to educate and motivate youth and villagers to undertake half an hour daily fitness regime. The activities details are as following:
· Launching of Fit India Movement Youth Clubs Registration on 15th August, 2020) by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India on 15th August, 2020 through Webcast. The programme was viewed by 21,80,700 youth from 96,790 villages,
· Fit India Freedom Run was organized on 15th August, 2020 by District Nehru Yuva Kendras to popularize fitness and inculcate spirit of patriotism. A total 5,07,560 NYKS field officials, COVID Volunteers, Members of NYKS affiliated Youth Clubs, Ganga Doots and NDRF trained youth volunteers and others participated in the Run and covered 10,15,120 Kms. distance.
· Fit India Youth Clubs Registration- 49,635 NYKS Youth Clubs were registered and Fit India Youth Clubs on its website www.fitindia.gov.in
· Fit India Dialogue – Prime Minister, Narendra Modi interacted with fitness experts and influencers from across the country to mark the one-year anniversary of Fit India Movement on 24th September, 2020. He launched the ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’ during the online Fit India Dialogue. 9.11 Lakh people witnessed the Fit India Dialogue.
· 51,588 Prabhat Pheries were organized by District Nehru Yuva Kendras with the active involvement and participation of 13.09 Lakh National Youth Volunteers, Members of Youth Clubs and others from different sections of the society took part. 2.74 lakh youth volunteers got them registered on Fit India Portal. 82,736 Hash Tag impressions of # New India Fit India were recorded.
· 25,690 Cyclothons were organized by District NYKs to amplify the Fit India Movement Messagewith the active involvement of NYKS Youth Clubs from7th to 31st December 2020. 11,56 Lakh Youth from all sections of the society participated. 67.05 Lakh Kms. distance were covered during conduct of the Cyclothones.
POSHAN ABHIYAAN
More than one lakh nutrition related activities undertaken by Nehru Yuva Kendras under POSHAN Abhiyaan: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has undertaken several activities during PoshanMaah started from 1st September 2020. PoshanMaah aims to create mobilization across the country for improving Nutrition indicators. Department of Youth Affair’s Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS) has been celebrating National Nutrition Month (Rashtriya Poshan Maah) across the country for the past two years in the month of September. As a part of observance of Rashtriya Poshan Maah, District Nehru Yuva Kendras motivated the National Youth Volunteers (NYVs), Members of Youth Clubs, COVID volunteers, Ganga Doots and other NYVs to sensitise the villagers on the issues of Malnutrition, importance of breast feeding, promotion of Kitchen gardens in collaboration with District Administration, Anganwadi, ASHA Workers for effective implementation. A total 1,04,421 activities were taken up during Poshan Maah in which 51,02,912 youth and villagers took part. 1,125 Webinars were organized with the support of different resource persons to guide on the topics such as prevention of mal nutrition, especially severely acute malnourished children during and after pandemic with Nutrition experts, best practices and success stories, etc.
Activities identified for celebrating Poshan Maah 2020:
• Identification and tracking of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) Plantation drive for promotion of Kitchen gardens
• Leverage youth volunteer groups such as NYSK for focused sensitization on community based visual/early identification of Severely Malnourished/SAM children through digital platforms.
• Undertake digital sensitization in co-branding with ‘Fit India’ campaign and quality of food in convergence with FSSAI.
• Additionally, sensitization for nutrition, good sanitation & hygiene practices, importance of adequate dietary diversity
• Promotion of Nutri-Gardens across the associated campuses/premises.
National Webinar on Creating Awareness about National Education Policy through NSS, NCC, NYKS Volunteers and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan: Ministry of Education organised a National Webinar on Creating Awareness about National Education Policy, 2020 through NSS, NCC, NYKS and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) Volunteers under Shikshak Parv Initiative on 16th September 2020.Volunteers of National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan from all over the country also joined through virtual medium.
Dissemination of Information on the salient features of National Education Policy 2020: NYKS was assigned the roles of Disseminating of salient features of National Education Policy, 2020, among Students, parents, Gram Panchayats and community. As a part of this NYKS undertaken activities such as Sharing of the video on the main address of Prime Minster on National Education Policy 2020 through WhatsApp and Webinars, Explaining the role of teachers, parents, community and members of PRIs, reaching out to the families, Helping teachers to facilitate reaching of learning materials to the homes of children and teaching young learners by Volunteers who are from nearby places from their home. A total of 3.90crores Citizens have been sensitized on salient features of NEP – 2020.
Inauguration of Rastriya Swachhta Kendra and undertaking of Gandagi Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: Large Number of NYKS Officials, Youth Club members witnessed the inauguration of Rastriya Swachhta Kendra on 8th August, 2020. Coinciding with the occasion a week long Gandagi Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was also launched. As a part of Gandagi Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, NYKS undertook collection and segregation of single use plastic, Shramdaan/ Cleaning of Public building, Wall Painting on SBM Messages, Shramdaan and Plantation, Online Painting Competition, Cleanliness and sensitization drives and Construction/Repair of Toilets. A total of 3.41 Lakh activities were undertaken with the total participation of 95.13 lakh youth.
Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat Programme (EBSB) 2020-21 through virtual mode (Webinar): Department of Youth Affairs has taken a front lead in spreading the message of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat. NYKS/ NSS have organised 67 webinars in the last 07 months involving 1.50 lakh youth on all aspects of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat being culture, tourism culinary habits, dance forms, language, costumes, etc. In this NYKS has successfully organized 23 Webinars based Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat on topics such as History, People, Cuisines, Culture and Places of Historical Importance & Tourist Interest and Language Learning with the participation of 14,398 youth covering all States/UTs. Making of Face Masks at Home & their right use, Following Social Distancing, Hand Wash to maintain Hygiene, De-Stigmatization of disease, Myths and Misconceptions, Promoting Immunity Boosting AYUSH measures, Encouraging people for COVID-19 Testing, Encouraging Download and use of AarogyaSetu.
Involvement of Youth in Namami Gange Programme: NYKS is working with National Mission for Clean Ganga to spread awareness for cleanliness & sanitation in villages along Ganga River in 29 Districts of 4 States.
• Organization of 3 days Regional Level training cum workshop from 18th to 20th November 2020 in which District Project Officers (DPOs) and Project Assistants were trained on Education and Awareness Generation for Clean River Ganga, planning for implementation of the project, understanding of the project, management of financial implementation and to motivate youth about pollution by speech, motivational talks, IEC materials, slogan, street play for Clean River Ganga under the project.
• 1140 people participated in Kalantar 2020 (National Online Painting Championship) from 5th September to 2nd October 2020 organised by Kalantar Art Trust with NMCG being an Event Partner.
• Organized Ganga Utsav 2020 from 2nd to 4th November 2020 through virtual platform. 1635 activities such as Ganga Arti, Nukkad Nataks, cleanliness drives, Ganag quiz, etc. were organized with the participation of 39,676 people.
• Online Training of Trainers Course was organized by Wildlife Institute of India, MoEFCC to aware DPOs on the issues involving the river and its biodiversity 6th and 7th October 2020.
• During April to Dec, 2020 under the project, 3.28 Lakh saplings were planted, 2569 Awareness programme activities organized and 1456 cleanliness drives were conducted.
Kiren Rijiju calls upon States to create awareness about Atmanirbhar Bharat through NYKS, NSS volunteers: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju met Ministers as well as senior officials of the Youth Affairs and Sports Departments of 18 States and Union Territories through video conferencing on 14 July 2020. The meeting was the first part of the two-day conference where all States and UTs will share the roadmap forward for resumption of sports post Covid-19 as well as of engaging more volunteers of the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS) to promote various schemes at the State-level.
