Sports Minister Vijay Goel addresses Global Millennium Summit at Dubai

New Delhi: Following is the Text of Speech of Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel at the Global Millennium Summit, Dubai on 18 March 2017:

“I am very happy to be here today at the SRCC Global Millennium Summit 2017 as the Chief Guest. It is indeed a matter of great privilege and pleasure for me to be associated with my alma mater on the eve of this occasion. Whatever I am today, I owe my success in a huge way to SRCC for grooming and mentoring me during my academic life.
I would like to congratulate the students of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) who have taken this fantastic initiative, first-of-its-kind as I am told, to organize an International Summit called The Global Millennium Summit 2017, at Dubai, which is fast emerging as the hub of business, trade and innovation and the pivot of the different cultures of the world.
Dubai with its strategic location and world class infrastructure is a benchmark for the world. India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoy strong bonds of friendship based on age-old cultural, religious and economic ties between the two nations. The historic visit of Hon‟ble Prime Minister of India to UAE on 16-17 August 2015 marked the beginning of a new and comprehensive and strategic partnership.
Our Hon’ble Prime Minister has rightly said “A youth is one who works towards his future goals, unmindful of the past. India’s objective is to give youth the opportunities to make this century an Indian century.”
Today’s youth is full of spark. They have the courage which is inexplicable, they are dynamic, they have written their fate themselves. They have the key to the lock and they are the only ones who can set the caged bird free.
Youth is the only part of the population which is open to experimentation; it has brought forth so many new career options which were seen only in dreams till sometime ago. They are entertainers and comedians who talk about things which instantly become a stimulus, they are players who bring pride and fame to the country, they act, and they sing and make things bling. They are the social media wizards who use every platform lucratively. They are everywhere; every corner of the world, their reach is phenomenal.
I have two strong Youth Organizations under Department of Youth Affairs viz. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS). An academic Institute of excellence, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) has also been established under the Ministry. Most of the Schemes of the Department of Youth Affairs are being implemented through these 3 Autonomous/ Subordinate Organisations.
Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), launched in 1972, is one of the largest youth organisations in the world. NYKS currently has about 8.65 million youth enrolled through 3.03 lakh Youth Clubs/Mahila Mandals. NYKS has presence in 623 Districts through Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs). The Objective of the Programme is to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation-building activities.
Similarly, National Service Scheme (NSS) was created in 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. ‘Education through Service’ is the purpose of the NSS. NSS attempts to establish meaningful linkages between ‘Campus and Community’, ‘College and Village’ and ‘Knowledge and Action’. Further, to motivate more and more students to opt for NSS, the NSS has now been made an Elective Subject (with credits). The UGC has issued necessary Advisory to all Universities in this regard, on the request of Department of Youth Affairs.
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, was set up in 1993 as a Society and has been conferred the status of ‘Deemed to be University’ under ‘De-novo’ category in 2008, by the Ministry of Human Resources Development. RGNIYD functions as a vital resource centre with its multi-faceted functions of offering academic programmes at Post Graduate level encompassing various dimensions of youth development, engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and conducting Training/Capacity Building Programmes in the area of youth development, besides the extension and outreach initiatives across the country. It is also being planned to open an Indian Political Academy for understanding nuances of politics.
A National Youth Policy has been launched in 2014 replacing the erstwhile National Youth Policy, 2003. It proposes a holistic ‘vision’ for the youth of India, which is “To empower youth of the country to achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations”.
From this Year a number of schemes for the youth have ben assimilated by the Ministry under an umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram . Under this scheme, a number of sub-programmes are being held viz. National Youth Corps (NYC), National Programme for Youth & Adolescent Development (NPYAD), International Cooperation, Youth Hostels (YH), Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organisations, National Discipline Scheme (NDS) and National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP) . With the objective of developing leadership qualities among the youth, another Central Sector Scheme, National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP), introduced in 2014-15, is being run by the Ministry.
All these organizations have been very proactively involved in all flagship programmes of the Government including Swatchh Bharat Mission, Digital India, Yoga Programmes, Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, etc.Similarly, Sports have always played a great role in generating healthy competition and bonding within the community. Further, the achievements in sports at the international level have always been a source of national pride and prestige. With a view to develop an organized and systematic framework for the development and promotion of sports in the country, a National Sports Policy is in place since 2001.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) set up in 1984 has been entrusted the twin objectives of promoting sports and achieving sporting excellence at the National and International level. Today, SAI stands out as an apex body for promotion of sports and sports excellence in the country. I am working hard for overall development of Youth in the country and for wider promotion of sports among the Youth.Such Summits are very much necessary to create an International perspective in the youth and for promoting exchange of ideas, values and culture amongst the youth of the countries and also to develop International understanding.In the end, I express my gratitude and congratulate the College administration for organizing such an event which provided the youth across the world with a platform to discuss, act and interact and provided the opportunity to meet old friends and other alumni.