New Delhi: The Centre on Monday launched Yuva Sangam portal to strengthen people-to-people connections and build empathy between youths of the North Eastern States and other States. The portal was conceptualised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with various other ministries and departments such as Culture, Tourism, Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports, Home Affairs, Department for Development of North-East Region (DoNER) and IRCTC.
Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that this is yet another initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for cementing the bond between the northeast and the rest of India. “In line with the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’, Yuva Sangam will strengthen people-to-people bonds, mainstream the vibrant culture of our north-eastern states, and bring immense exposure and opportunities for knowledge exchanges, especially for our youth in the north-east,” he said.
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The Yuva Sangam will focus on conducting exposure tours of the youth comprising students & off-campus youngsters from North Eastern States to other states & vice versa. It will provide an immersive, multidimensional experience of various facets-under four broad areas of Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).
Addressing the gathering, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the initiative of ‘Yuva Sangam’ will inculcate a common spirit of understanding among thousands of youth participating in the programme, which will resonate throughout the country and contribute immensely towards building a truly Shreshtha Bharat.
Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy said the portal will enable youths to understand and identify with the diversity of India. “YUVA Sangam tours are being organised for the youth of different states, with an aim to promote a sense of respect towards each other’s heritage, culture, customs and traditions to further the spirit of Shreshtha Bharat. Through the programme, students will interact with each other in the areas of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events and tourism. They will get a first-hand experience of living in a completely different geographical and cultural scenario,” he said.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who was also present in the programme said that India is a unique nation, whose fabric has been woven by diverse linguistic, cultural, and religious threads, held together into a composite national identity. He further said that the idea of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, a sustained and structured cultural connection among people of different regions was also mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These initiatives will empower youth to take India from Amrit Kaal to Swarnim Kaal.
