Chief minister Naveen Patnaik unveils the State Youth Policy-2013 in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, April 7: Ahead of the polls, chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced the State Youth Policy – 2013, which aims to establish direct rapport with the youth, who constitute nearly 42 per cent of the 4.19 crore population of the state.

The policy document, which was released at the state secretariat by Naveen, aims to provide financial assistance to youth clubs across the state and laptops to meritorious students at the Plus Two level.

“It aims at placing the youth at the centre of socio-economic development,” Naveen said. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has provided Rs 40 lakh to help the government chalk out the youth policy.

The release coincided with the BJD’s one-day state-level youth convention here. While Naveen allowed its leaders to use the platform for Centre-bashing, the chief minister talked of development by doling out money for the youth and promised to take steps for their development.

Naveen announced that the Biju Yuva Sashakti-Karan Yojana would be extended to rural areas, wherein each youth club would get Rs 10,000 as financial support. Earlier, the assistance was announced only for urban youth clubs.

“The party will select 10 youths from each village. Nearly five lakh youths from 50,000 villages would be enrolled in the party. They will function as the agents of change. With their help, the government will strive to make the state the number one in the country by 2020,” Naveen said.

The state government has also planned to set up a State Institute of Open Learning to check dropout rates. Computer facilities will be provided in all secondary schools.

Career counselling centres will be set up at all colleges to guide students in choosing a prospective career. “We will give scholarships for higher education and professional education will be imparted to students,” Naveen said.

On the lines of Mission Shakti, which works for the empowerment of women, the government also has plans to start Mission Yuva Shakti for promotion of self-help groups among the youth. These groups will be given financial assistance. “A youth entrepreneurship development agency will be set up to promote young entrepreneurs,” he said.

Naveen said youth counselling centres and de-addiction centres would be set up. Both in and out-of-school adolescents would be provided gender-sensitive life skills-based sexual and reproductive health education.

“The Odisha government will constitute the Sports Authority of Odisha to promote sports in the state,” Naveen said.

BJD leaders came down heavily on the Centre at the programme.

BJD senior leader Pradeep Maharathy said: “The party should oppose the visit of central leaders to the state.”

Vice-president of the party Damodar Rout said: “Though Odisha is giving a lot in form of revenue to railways, its demands have been neglected.”

However, the chief minister refrained from Centre-bashing and chose to talk development.