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| Tuesday, 27 April 2004 |
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by Uditha Kumarasinghe A National Youth Plan (NYP) which will officially spell out the nation's duties and responsibilities towards youths' hopes and aspirations is being formulated for the first time by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The NYP will cater to the youth population of nearly 35 per cent to uplift their talents related to various cultural and sports sectors, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga told the Daily News yesterday. "Taking immediate measures to formulate this NYP is one of the key pledges given to the country's youth by the Freedom Alliance in its election campaign. Therefore, the formulation of the NYP clearly indicates the priority given by the Government to youth issues," the Minister said. A committee has been appointed for drafting this National Youth Plan. The Ministry hopes to complete the initial draft of the NYP within one month and launch public discussions throughout the country to obtain the views and ideas of the people for incorporation into the final draft. He said the NYP will guide the society to recognise the capabilities and aspirations of the nation's youth, facilitating an environment to overcome the constraints faced by them. The Ministry is also formulating a separate plan to develop the sports sector, he said. The Minister said a discussion will be held on April 30 to discuss ways and means of implementing the Youth Plan to cater to the needs of youth in a more efficient manner. The Ministry will seek the ideas of youth clubs to formulate the NYP. He said the NYP will give priority to empower the socio-economic conditions of youth. "The formulation of the NYP will provide the opportunity to the Ministry to make the youth a more productive force." Minister Kumaratunga said: "The young generation can directly pose challenges to society. The country is passing a decisive stage of upheaval where the younger generation is subjected to pressure. There is an urgent need for a viable policy to address the problems faced by youth." The NYP is being prepared to facilitate the empowerment of youth by providing them their due place in society. The NYP will give priority to the ideas and suggestions of youth. The Ministry will launch all its future programs based on the needs of youth as spelt out in this policy, he said. The Minister said at present Youth Clubs, the pioneer network for youth development have suffered a decline. The Ministry will take immediate measures to restructure these Youth Clubs to address the issues of youth. The intention of the ministry is to lay emphasis on each sector where the youth have organised themselves, he added. |
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