Raipur. During a debate in the Lok Sabha, Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap raised a crucial issue concerning the future of the youth of the Bastar region. Posing a question to Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Defense Nikhil Khadse, he stated that nation-building programs like the National Service Scheme (NSS) should be implemented more effectively in remote, forested, and Naxal-affected areas of Bastar, so that the youth there can avoid deviance and return to the mainstream and play an active role in the country's development.
Bastar MP Kashyap stated that the National Service Scheme (NSS) is an important tool for inculcating discipline, leadership, service, and patriotism in youth, but its impact is relatively limited in sensitive areas like Bastar. He urged the government to prioritize these areas and develop a special action plan to connect local youth with education, skills, and volunteerism through the NSS. He also requested detailed information from the central government regarding the implementation of the National Youth Corps (NYC) scheme. He requested details regarding the number of National Youth Volunteers currently working in various states and union territories, their training, supervision, and monitoring systems. He also requested information on the concrete steps being taken by the government to strengthen and make this scheme more effective.During the discussion in the House, he said that he also sought information regarding the deployment of National Youth Corps volunteers, training, support, and increased program activities, especially in the Bhadrak and Balasore districts of Odisha. Furthermore, he requested a year-wise breakdown of the funds sanctioned and utilized for skill development by various departments in the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency of Odisha since 2020, to ensure transparency in the schemes and evaluate their actual impact.