Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya held a virtual interaction with the Ministers of the Youth Departments from various States and Union Territories in New Delhi today. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss transforming the MY Bharat platform into a one-stop solution for engaging youth in the mission of building a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India).

During the meeting, Dr. Mandaviya stated, "To truly realize the aspirations of our youth, we must provide them with opportunities and programs that align with their dreams and ambitions. The MY Bharat platform currently offers a variety of services, including a CV builder, experiential learning opportunities, volunteering options, among others. Going forward, we aim to expand these offerings to include skilling initiatives, online learning modules, and access to job portals."

He also announced several new initiatives to be launched soon, which would be led by the youth themselves. The first initiative, the ‘MY Bharat Outreach Programme’, will focus on creating awareness about the platform and its unique offerings to the youth across the country. This program will highlight the platform's benefits, aiming to maximize youth participation.

The second initiative, ‘Seva Se Seekhen’, is designed to inculcate a spirit of service among the youth. As part of this program, hospitals will be identified for youth to serve as volunteers, where they will be oriented on flagship health schemes and assigned various tasks to improve hospital efficiency and patient assistance.

The third initiative, ‘Swachh Bharat: Naya Sankalp’, aims to involve the youth in a massive clean-up drive focused on collecting single-use plastics from various locations across the nation. This initiative is in line with the government's mission to engage the youth in environmental sustainability and cleanliness.

Dr. Mandaviya further reiterated the government's vision, stating, "To achieve a developed India by 2047, it is imperative that we connect and engage our youth in every possible way." He called upon all States and UTs to work closely with the Centre in realizing this vision.

Addressing the gathering, Smt. Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, emphasized the need for increased youth engagement on the MY Bharat platform. She urged all States and UTs to actively promote the newly announced programs within their jurisdictions to ensure maximum reach and impact.

The interaction concluded with a shared commitment to foster youth participation in nation-building, ensuring that every young Indian has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the country's progress.

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Himanshu Pathak