Bhubaneswar, July 3: Martial arts and self-defence training will be imparted to 2.5 lakh girl students in junior and degree colleges of the state within the next six months.

Three hundred trainers will be engaged for the purpose. While 200 instructors have been recruited from the college level, another hundred have been picked up from the state police force, official sources said.

This decision was apparently taken in view of the growing cases of violence against women.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik directed officials of the state sports and youth service department to take up a special drive to include more youth clubs in the urban areas in the scheme to provide financial assistance to Rs 10,000 to each club.

It was revealed from the review undertaken by the chief minister that there was lukewarm response in urban areas.

So far, only 10,288 applications have been received from the youth clubs, mostly from rural pockets.

Though the sop is being given to youth clubs ostensibly to involve the youths in sports and cultural activities, Opposition parties say the assistance is being given to woo youths ahead of coming elections. The civic elections are due in September.

It was also decided that youths in the 19-25 age group would be engaged as interns in various departments by the end of this month.

They will work up to six months and be paid a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500.

Apart from this, 10,000 students from 100 colleges will be trained in disaster.