Bhubaneswar: In a fresh bid to further sports and youth welfare activities, the state government has decided to organise youth camps in different places of the state. According to official sources, 15 venues have been selected in Berhampur, Rourkela, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for the camps.
Nearly 45 camps will be organised involving 10,000 youths from all the blocks. Each camp will be an amalgamation of the participants from all districts.
At a high-level meeting held here recently, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik has directed the sports and youth services department to draw up a detail plan, schedule and modalities of the camps by the end of November and organise the camps during December, they said. The emphasis is on orienting youths with positive thinking and commitment for nation building. Bharat Scouts and Sports, NCC and NYK will be involved in these camps.
It has also been decided that youth clubs will be actively involved in promotion of constructive sports and youth welfare activities. For the purpose, 10,371 clubs operating at Panchayat level will be given a grant-in-aid of Rs.5000 each.
Patnaik has advised the department to scale up adventure sports activities in association with coast guards and NCC units.
The department has also been asked to prepare a detail plan for augmentation of sports equipments and infrastructure in sports hostels. They have also been advised to plan a special academic curriculum for inmates in sports hostels and put in better quality coaching, gyms and other amenities in these institutions.