Heated discussions on prevalent issues, strong rebuttals, House procedures and deliberations marked the Dakshina Kannada District Youth Parliament held on the virtual platform on Wednesday.
The Union government’s Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mangaluru, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and UN Volunteers India organised the event. The Centre for Integrated Learning, a non-governmental organisation, was the technical partner.
Inaugurating the event, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada K.V. Rajendra asked the students to utilise such opportunities to groom themselves into better citizens. Such activities will go a long way in inculcating and realising the roles and responsibilities of individuals in safeguarding the secular and democratic fabric of the Constitution, he said.
State Director of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghatan (NYKS) Atul J. Nikam said that the Youth Parliament is a structured simulation for educating students on the functioning of the parliamentary system of democracy. It makes the youth realise their roles and responsibilities as citizens of a democracy, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Debjani Samantaray, National Project Manager for Strengthening NYKS and National Service Scheme (NSS), which is a Joint Project of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, UNV and UNDP, said that such platforms provided an opportunity to channelise the energy and enthusiasm of the youth for positive purposes.
Convener of Centre for Integrated Learning Srinivasan Nandagopal highlighted the process of the conduct of the Youth Parliament, while the District Youth Coordinator, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mangaluru, Raghuveer Souterpete, conducted the virtual inauguration of the event.
Chief Executive Officer of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Selvamani R. was present, according to a release from the Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mangaluru.