Youth are bonafide crusaders: Acharya

State-level Yuvajanothsava begins despite protests

Speaking after inaugurating the state-level three day “Yuvajanothsava-2011-12” here at Gandhi Maidan on Saturday, he said youth are the bona fide crusaders, who sketch the design of development of a country.

“Karnataka is one state that has inherited bountiful treasure of ancient art and culture. The students should incorporate interest towards sports activities.

The state government has announced Rs 100 as daily allowance for the sports personnel who have taken part in the national-level sports events. Besides, the state government is committed to the idea of promoting extensive sports and cultural activities across the state,” Dr Acharya said adding that from the current year state government has decided to give additional importance to Scouts and Guides as part of school activities. 

Dr Acharya said that a sum of Rs 50 lakh has been already allocated for the purpose of providing uniforms and other facilities to the students who join Scouts and Guides. A proposal for Rs four crore is kept for the approval in the next fiscal budget. The fund is earmarked for organising camps and other activities, he added.  He said Kannada and Culture Department was receiving meager amount to take up activities, in the past. However, this year, a sum of Rs 250 crore has been earmarked for promoting culture. Artists are being encouraged with various incentives, he said. 

Referring to the protest held by the State Yuvajana Okkutta against the Youth and Sports Services department for not supporting their entry into the festival, the minister said it is disheartening to observe that instead of making an attempt to solve the problem, some groups are indulging in to creating problems. The issue should be sorted out amicably.

Protest at the venue
The State Yuvajan Okkutta staged a protest outside the venue where the state-level three day “Yuvajanothsava” is being held.  The State President D Chitthappa alleged that the Youth and Sports Services Department is only concentrating on college students and has been neglecting the youth. There are 36,000 youth organisations and more than 12,000 women’s organisations across the state. The members of these organisations have been sidelined.

He urged to remove Udupi District Youth and Sports Service Assistant Director Seethanadi Vittal Shetty from the post within a week. “If the government fails to do so, then the Okkutta will take up protest condemning the government,” he said. Chitthappa said that a protest rally will be organised on November 25 at Freedom Park in Bangalore raising the issue and seeking government’s attention towards the injustice meted out to countless youth in the state.