January 11, 2002
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VICE PRESIDENT SHRI KRISHAN KANT TO INAUGURATE THE 7TH NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL TOMORROWSUSHREE UMA BHARTI TO BE PRESENT ON THE OCCASION
The Vice President of India, Shri Krishan Kant will inaugurate the 7th National Youth Festival at Hisar tomorrow. The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sushree Uma Bharti, Governor and Chief Minister of Haryana will be the other dignitaries present on the occasion. The five-day Festival begins on January 12, 2002, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, which is observed as National Youth Day every year and ends on January 16. The main objective of the Festival is to provide a common platform to the youth of the country to give expression to their creative energy and talents. Interaction with each other also helps in national integration. During the opening ceremony the Vice President Shri Krishan Kant will distribute National Youth Awards for the year 2000-2001 to 24 youths from different states, one organisation working in the field of youth and one youth for the year 1999-2000. The award carries a medal, a scroll and cash price of Rs. 20,000 for the year 2000-2001, Rs. 10,000 for the year 1999-2000 and Rs. 1,00,000 for non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The National Youth Festival has a common theme of "Youth for peace, friendship and development". To this a sub-theme is added every year which is "Youth against terrorism" for this year. The Festival is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports with support from its autonomous and subordinate organisations such as Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) and a particular State Government willing to co-host the same. The expenditure on the Festival is shared between the Centre and the host state according to a pattern laid down.