Poor response to DVS' youth policy

Very few organisations for youngsters take part in consultative meet

One of the pet ideas of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is a youth policy, in a bid to encourage the youth of the State.

Gowda has also allotted funds for the policy in his budget. He has also instructed officials to get suggestions from youth organisations from the districts regarding the policy.

Little progress

But there has not been much progress over the policy in Chikkaballapur.

The Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in the district has asked the presidents and secretaries of the 100 youth organisations in the taluks to give suggestions in this regard. However, only one organisation has responded.

Officials say the response has been poor from the youth for the policy, which is a Rs 25-crore initiative. An amount of Rs 15 crore has been released for framing the youth policy as also for collation of relevant information from the districts.

10 per cent only

“We had called a meeting of representatives of youth organisations from the district. However, of the 100 organisations invited (out of a total 207 which have got their registration renewed), only 26 representatives from 10 organisations took part,” an official told Deccan Herald.

“The government wants to hear from the stakeholders - the youth organisations - before framing an effective policy. With the response being poor, how will a policy take shape?” he asks.

On their part, the representatives blamed the meeting organisers for not providing necessary details and for the lack of a clear picture.

Filling forms

“We planned to give suggestions, but we were only asked to fill out forms providing details about us. There was no scope for discussion,” said Prasanna Kumar, secretary of Gouthama Buddha Art and Culture Association.

“The officials should have held detailed discussions. They should have given the necessary guidance,” he added.

Additional Deputy Commissioner T Venkatesh, Zilla Panchayat president M V Krishnappa, Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer B S Shekharappa, officer of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Udaykumar and others were present on the occasion.