Chief Secretary reviews “Youth Engagement: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders” initiative
Programme focuses on empowering young minds through education, sports, culture, and entrepreneurship
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a comprehensive review meeting on the “Youth Engagement: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders” initiative, presented by the Planning, Development & Monitoring Department. The programme aims to create an integrated framework to empower the youth of Jammu and Kashmir through sports, culture, education, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Culture; Commissioner Secretaries of GAD, Youth Services & Sports, and Floriculture; Secretaries of School Education, Health & Medical Education, and Skill Development; besides Heads of Departments and senior officers.
At the outset, the Chief Secretary described the youth engagement initiative as a transformative step toward fostering creativity, innovation, and leadership among the young population. He emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach to ensure meaningful engagement of every youth in alignment with their unique talents and aspirations.
Mr. Dulloo directed departments including Youth Services & Sports, Culture, Education, Higher Education, Health, and Rural Development to frame strategic sectoral plans for maximum youth engagement. He also instructed Deputy Commissioners to prepare district-specific action plans for effective ground-level implementation.
Stressing the importance of inter-departmental synergy, the Chief Secretary designated the Planning Department as the nodal agency for implementation and monitoring. He directed the creation of a unified online platform to track youth engagement activities across departments. The General Administration Department (GAD) was tasked with forming a Steering Committee to ensure effective coordination and execution.
Highlighting the need to align with national-level programmes, the Chief Secretary called for leveraging initiatives of the Ministry of Youth Affairs such as My Bharat, NSS, Youth Exchange Activities, and Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue to enhance exposure and skill development opportunities.
During the review, Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners shared their proposed strategies to maximize outreach and participation. The Chief Secretary urged all departments to adopt a collaborative approach, pooling resources for impactful implementation at the grassroots level. He also directed the Information Department to raise public awareness about youth welfare and career-oriented schemes.
Presenting the framework, Director General, Planning, Satvir Kour, said the initiative aims to harness the creativity and dynamism of the youth, recognizing them as catalysts for social and economic transformation. She noted that the programme focuses on building life skills, values, and confidence among young people, steering them away from vulnerabilities such as substance abuse and unemployment.
The Strategic Action Plan covers multiple dimensions of engagement:
Sports & Culture: Revival of traditional arts, crafts, and cultural festivals such as Sufi events, classical performances, literary meets, and art exhibitions to preserve J&K’s rich heritage and create livelihood opportunities.
Education & Skill Development: Enhancing access to quality education and vocational training that is market-relevant and skill-oriented to improve employability and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Entrepreneurship & Business Development: Expanding access to startup ecosystems, incubation centres, and financial support through schemes like PMEGP, REGP, NRLM (Lakhpati Didis), and Startup J&K to nurture self-reliant youth entrepreneurs across sectors such as agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, and technology.
Digital Engagement: Promoting innovation through webinars, online mentorship, and digital contests to connect rural youth with experts and global opportunities.
Additionally, the Chief Secretary directed District Development Commissioners (DDCs) to identify two socio-economically backward blocks in each district and prepare targeted engagement plans covering education, skills, culture, sports, and livelihoods. The DDCs were also instructed to ensure widespread awareness among youth about various welfare and empowerment schemes.
The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to make youth empowerment a shared mission—integrating departmental efforts to channelize the energy, creativity, and potential of J&K’s youth toward building a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive future.
