Youth engagement, empowerment plan reviewed in Budgam
Srinagar, Mar 3: A meeting regarding the “Youth Engagement and Empowerment Plan” was convened at the DC Office Complex Budgam under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan to deliberate upon structured initiatives aimed at channelizing the energy of youth towards constructive and nation-building activities.
The meeting was attended by the Joint director Planning Budgam, ACD Budgam, Chief Education Officer Budgam, District Youth Services & Sports Officer Budgam, Assistant Labour Commissioner Budgam, and District Information Officer Budgam, among other concerned officials, as per an official press release.
At the outset, the DC emphasised the need for a coordinated and result-oriented approach among all departments to ensure holistic youth empowerment. Highlighting the importance of sports activities, the DC articulated a visionary concept of “One Sport for One Child.” He underscored that every student in the district should be associated with at least one sport, so as to promote physical fitness, discipline, team spirit, and mental well-being among young learners.
He stated that sports are not merely extracurricular activities but essential components of overall education and youth development. The DC directed Chief Education Officer Budgam to initiate the preparation of a separate and dedicated “Sports Card” for each student enrolled in government and private educational institutions across the district. He said, the Sports Card shall record the specific sport chosen by the student, level of participation, achievements, performance tracking, and progress over time.
The DC further said, this database will enable systematic monitoring and identification of talent at an early stage, facilitating targeted coaching and advanced training opportunities. He directed that schools should encourage students to voluntarily select a sport based on their interest and aptitude.
The District Youth Services & Sports Officer was instructed to ensure availability of basic sports infrastructure and trained coaches, wherever feasible, and to organize regular inter-school and zone-level competitions to nurture competitive spirit among students. The DC emphasized that youth empowerment must extend beyond sports and academics to include employability, entrepreneurship, and vocational skills.
