Shillong, December 06: Mr W. R. Lyngdoh, Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Education Department today inaugurated the Reciprocal Inter State Youth Exchange Programme under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’at Youth Hostel, Shillong.
The programme was hosted by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Shillong, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India in partnership with Department of Education, Government of Meghalaya. Under the programme, every state in the country are paired between two states for conducting a long term exchange programme.
Meghalaya alongwith its co-partner state, Arunachal Pradesh got paired with the state of Uttar Pradesh. At the first phase, 50 member youth delegation from Uttar Pradesh together with 50 youth from Meghalaya attended the 15 day programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Lyngdoh said the aim of the youth exchange programme is to enhance interaction between people of diverse cultures living in different States and Union Territories in India and for promoting greater mutual understanding amongst them.
He also informed that under the programme, the two paired states will conduct a long term exchange programme in different areas such as youth, students, science and technology, culture, economic activities and social field etc. In the second phase, a combined 50 member youth delegation from Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, 25 youths from each state will visit Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh for 15 days from 21st January, 2018 to 5th February, 2018, he added.
During the 15 days long exchange programme, various activities such as knowledge learning lectures, group discussion, debate competition, declamation contest, community integration, field visits to cultural sites among others.
The inaugural function was also attended by Shri I. Inkhuanguang, Director, incharge, NYKS, Meghalaya, Dr. Salam D. Singh, District Youth Coordinator, Programme In-charge, Meghalaya.
