Centre to create autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat to ‘harness immense youth energy for nation-building’

The platform is meant to offer suitable opportunities for youngsters to engage in voluntary work in the field of their choice and look for such opportunities across the country. It will act as a one-stop shop for young people and various central government ministries, and will also create a centralised youth database. However, Thakur clarified there will be no financial remuneration involved.

“Today, our country boasts a demographic dividend, with around 40 crore youth in the age bracket of 15-19 years… The move will unleash their true potential and provide them with opportunities to come forward and contribute to nation-building,” he said.

Under the new arrangement, with access to resources and connection to opportunities, the youth will become agents of community change and nation builders, acting as the Yuva Setu (a youth bridge) between the government and the citizens, the minister said. The platform seeks to harness the immense youth energy for nation-building, he added.

The autonomous body will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of youth in the National Youth Policy, Thakur said, adding that in the case of programme components meant for adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age group of 10-19 years.

In a statement issued after the announcement, the youth affairs and sports ministry said the establishment of MY Bharat would improve leadership skills in youngsters through experiential learning. It would also lead to investing more in the youth to make them social innovators and leaders.

“It will lead to setting the focus of the government on youth-led development and to make them ‘active drivers’ of development and not merely ‘passive recipients’, fitting their aspirations with community needs,” the ministry said.