The Minister for Youth Affairs
and Sports, Shri Vikaram Verma today informed that a policy would
be formulated for involvement of the voluntary sector in the country’s
development. The Prime Minister had ordered a national consultation
on this, to be organised by the Planning Commission, and the Commission
is working on a broad policy which would promote voluntary participation
in social and economic activities.
The Minister also
expressed government’s resolve to support volunteer action internationally
through the United Nations Volunteers.
Emphasising that
governments need to shed a number of key activities in favour
of voluntary agencies, as it is not possible for governments to
attend to all the problems of its citizens, the Minister appreciated
the role of the Nehru Yuvak Kendras and the National Service Scheme
in channelising youth energy towards social and economic development.
Shri Verma was speaking
at a function in commemoration of the International Volunteer
Day, which is observed on December 5 every year. The United Nations
General Assembly had passed a resolution in 1985 to this effect
with a view to stimulating people to offer their services as volunteers,
both at home and abroad. Shri Verma said that the UN’s observance
of volunteer day was an affirmation of the tradition of voluntary
community service in India.
A souvenir on voluntary
action being taken in India was also released on the occasion.
Acting UNDP representative in India, Mr. Denis Lazarus, and Secretary
(Youth Affairs & Sports), Shri LM Mehta, also spoke on the
steps being taken for supporting voluntary action.
In India, the Ministry
of Youth Affairs & Sports supports the voluntary action through
various schemes, prominently the NSS and the Nehru Yuvak Kendras.
The National Service
Scheme (NSS), a countrywide voluntary action network in educational
institutions, was launched in 1969. It aims at the involvement
of students on a voluntary basis in various activities of social
service and national development, which contributes to socio-economic
progress and also makes the students understand and appreciate
the problems of the community, awaken social consciousness and
inculcate in them a sense of dignity of labour. Over
the years, NSS has made significant contribution in the field
of literacy, disaster management, health and family welfare and
environment. Special campaigns were launched on AIDS awareness,
social evils, creating visible impact on the development process
of the country.
The Nehru Yuvak Kendra
network is one of the largest grass-root level organisation in
the world. There are over 1.8 lakh village-based youth clubs working
under this scheme. These clubs in areas ranging from education,
training, skill development, entrepreneurial development, thrift,
sports and adventure.
In 1999, another
scheme, the National Reconstruction Corps (NRC) was started to
promote voluntary action for national reconstruction. Under this
scheme, a volunteer gives one year of his youth in the service
of the community. Volunteers are organised into groups, which
are deployed by the Nehru Yuvak Kendras.
The National Service
Volunteer Scheme (NSVS), launched in 1977-78, aims at providing
opportunities to students, generally those who have completed
their first degree, to involve themselves on a voluntary basis,
in national building activities for a specific period on a whole-time
basis. The National Service Volunteer is envisaged as a social
engineer, one who is striving to discover his creative potential
and to gain a deep and critical insight into the issues involved
in the process of development, and who is willing to commit all
his energy in the service of the community and the country. .
The volunteers are deployed with the Nehru Yuva Kendras or the
NSS or with Bharat Scouts and Guides. Various State Governments
and Union Territory Administrations can also deploy the volunteers.
