NEW DELHI, May 31 � In a fresh initiative to lure away youths from joining militancy, the new National Youth Policy 2012 proposes to frame an action plan to tackle the menace particularly in conflict-affected areas of North-East.
The exposure draft released on Thursday by Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Ajay Maken proposes to revise the target age group of youths from the existing 13-35 years to 16-30 years. In a first, Youth Development Index (YDI) is proposed to be incorporated as part of the policy to serve as the baseline and ready reckoner for evaluation.
The new Youth Policy divides the target groups into six categories including the Youth at Risk and Violent Conflicts. The Ministry has proposed to hold consultations with various stakeholders. As part of the regional consultations, the discussion on the youth policy would be held at NEHU University in Shillong in the third week of July.
The draft policy states that due to a number of factors, chiefly economic, young people are drawn to armed conflicts and align with organisations and groups that spearhead the disruptive activities. Young people with little means of subsistence may be easily lured by the extremists by the promise of proper meals, shelter and clothing by these outfits.
Several categories of young people appear to be particularly at risk, unemployed university graduates, young people who have migrated from rural to urban areas, tribal youths, young people who have been victims of discrimination or injustice or youth, who have been misguided by concerted propaganda by perpetrators of separatism and militancy.
Regardless whether they participate in violent conflicts or are victims, young people are undoubtedly the worst sufferers. Their future gets severely compromised, the draft policy said. Even when they desire to return to normal life after realising that they had wrongly got themselves inducted into conflict, the society does not offer them an opportunity.
