11 districts get youth centres

In line with its plan to start one Yuva Shakti Kendra in each district to promote sports, exercises and health among the youth, the Department of Sports and Youth Empowerment has shortlisted 11 government colleges in 11 districts so far, as the centres.

More colleges are being finalised in the rest of the districts, and the process would be completed in about a month.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Vikash Kumar Vikash, Director, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports said, “An amount of Rs 15 lakh has been allocated for each Kendra and this will come up to Rs 4.5 crore for all the 30 districts.

We are in the process of selecting more first grade colleges and PU Colleges that have a strength of 1,000 students and above.”

The other criteria for selecting colleges as centres are, it should be a co-ed institution, it should have a director of physical education on a permanent basis and it should have ample space for starting the centre.

“A co-ed institution will ensure that the activities of the centre does not remain confined only to boys or girls but is available for all,” said an official from the department who did not want to be named.

The 11 colleges where the centres are set to come up are: first grade college, Bapujinagar, Shimoga; HPPC Government first grade college, Challakere, Chitradurga; Government first grade college, Davangere; IDSG Government college, Fareesh Road, Chikmagalur; Government first grade college, Ratha Beedi, Mangalore; Government first grade college and centre for post graduate studies, Thenkandiyur, Udupi; Sangolli Rayanna government first grade college, Autonagar, Belgaum; Government arts and science college, Karwar; Government first grade college, Naubagh, Bijapur; Government first grade college, Koppal and Government PU College, Sadar Darwaza, Yadgir.

Initially, the centres will be furnished with fitness equipment and later, they will serve as ‘youth empowerment centres’ with the addition of libraries, media rooms, amphitheatres, etc.     

In each district, a committee comprising of a district officer from the Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, the director of physical education and the principal of the college will be in charge of monitoring the centre and they will give a quarterly report on the activities conducted.   

“For the youth, there is always more emphasis on academics.

These centres will serve as a means of making them conscious about their health, while also preventing them from getting involved in substance abuse.

Those with sporting talent can be assisted and linked with other organisations that help nurture their talent,” said the official.