Promoting Digital and Financial Literacy among Youth

On the question of ‘digital and financial literacry initiatives’ in Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya stated the following in a written reply today.

The Department of Youth Affairs under Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has taken several initiatives for the digital and financial literacy for youth in the rural areas of the country.

The Department through Mera Yuva Bharat recently conducted training sessions of more than 600Programme Officers of National Service Scheme on Digital Literacy at various locations across the country so that they may be in a position to further train the youth on the subject.

Also, the Department through its field organization viz. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan organized Investor Education, Awareness and Protection Programmes in collaboration with Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority. The total participants in these programmes were 14,513 including youth volunteers since November, 2019.

In order to harness the potential and to optimally tap constructive and creative energies of the youth, the Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, pursues the twin objectives of personality-building and nation-building, that is, developing the personality of youth and involving them in various nation-building activities through its field organizations and various schemes. For example, National Service Scheme (NSS) is engaged in developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. ‘Education through Service’ is the purpose of the NSS.

Similarly, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) through its various programmes and interventions is reaching out to the rural youth for their empowerment and civic engagement.

Moreover, recently, an overarching enabling mechanism- Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), an autonomous body under the Department of Youth Affairs was launched on 31.10.2023 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. MY Bharat is powered by technology, for youth development and youth led development through ‘Kartavya Bodh’ and ‘SevaBhaav’, during the AmritKaal.

A digital platform for MY Bharat (https://www.mybharat.gov.in/) has been developed on which the youth across the country can register and signup for various volunteering opportunities being made available on the portal. The envisioned phygital (physical + digital) ecosystem is to empower young individuals to become catalysts for community transformation.

The budgetary allocation for FY 2024-25 for various schemes/programmes of the Department of Youth Affairs are outlined below.