As many as 4200 youth clubs have come up in Jammu and Kashmir under Home Minister Amit Shah’s ‘Mission Youth’ program which aims to “engage” with the youth and “wean them away” from militancy.
The majority of these 4200 clubs have come up in Baramulla, Kupwara, and Anantnag districts of Kashmir.
On this 3-day visit to Kashmir late last month, Amit Shah interacted with youth from different districts and said that an “indigenous mechanism” had been put in place to address their needs.
The Home Minister also met several youths who shared their stories while being part of the ‘Mission Youth’ program.
Centre, as per reports, plans to set up at least 4500 such clubs with financial assistance of Rs 25,000 a club for each panchayat.
They will be managed by the district administration which has so far provided buildings to more than 160 such clubs.
“The members will be below or up to the age of 35 and will be responsible for spreading awareness among youngsters, counter false propaganda being peddled by Pakistan and their sympathisers in the Valley,” said reports quoting a government official.