Chief Secretary Calls for Expanding Youth Engagement Across Multiple Arenas
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a review meeting of the Youth Services & Sports (YS&S) Department, highlighting the department’s key role in channelizing the energy of young people into productive pursuits. He emphasized that, beyond sports, youth should be encouraged to explore diverse areas such as music, arts, and other creative fields aligned with their interests and aspirations.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance Santosh D. Vaidya; Commissioner Secretary, YS&S Yasha Mudgal; Director General, YS&S; Director General, Resources; Executive Director, J&K Bank; Secretary, J&K Sports Council; and other senior officials.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to youth development, the Chief Secretary assured full and uninterrupted budgetary support. He also directed the department to proactively engage with corporate entities, including CPSUs and J&K Bank, to secure sponsorships for athletes, particularly for advanced training, coaching camps, and exposure outside the Union Territory.
Dulloo underlined the importance of publicizing an annual calendar of activities to broaden outreach and encourage greater youth participation across J&K. He further suggested hosting high-profile sporting events, especially in football, cricket, and other popular disciplines, and organizing talent-hunt festivals in music, dance, arts, and other creative arenas.
He also highlighted the potential of bringing national-level events, such as the Khelo India Winter Games and Khelo India Water Sports Festival, to additional sporting disciplines in J&K. The Chief Secretary assured personal efforts to facilitate collaborations with premier sports bodies, including AIFF and BCCI, to realize this vision.
Stressing the creation of youth role models, Dulloo instructed the department to strengthen initiatives for establishing Centres of Excellence in various sporting disciplines across the Union Territory.
Presenting the department’s achievements, Commissioner Secretary Yasha Mudgal reported that J&K saw a significant improvement in its medal tally this year, with youth athletes winning 44 Gold, 54 Silver, and 82 Bronze medals, compared to 31 Gold, 20 Silver, and 52 Bronze last year. This includes three Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze at international competitions. She added that approximately 35.5 lakh youth participated in departmental activities last year, with plans to increase this figure to 45 lakh during the current year.
Looking ahead, the J&K Sports Council will organize 79 events across the Union Territory, including four international, seven national, 27 UT-level, 14 league/community, and 27 coaching camp activities, targeting participation of nearly 25 lakh youth. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Youth Services & Sports will conduct 213 district-level activities, engaging an additional 12 lakh youth. Key upcoming events include the 69th National School Games, Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, snow skiing competitions, and other marquee programs.
On infrastructure development, the department reported that 343 capital works are underway, with 55 completed and 220 scheduled for completion this year, further strengthening J&K’s sports ecosystem.
