Meghalaya, Dec 29: Conrad K. Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, said on Tuesday that the youth of the Northeast, particularly the tribal youngsters, must go beyond the quota mindset in order to stay ahead with the rest of the world.
Sangma and Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Joykumar Singh Yumnam jointly opened the Mao Students Union (MSU) Makhel Heritage Conclave honouring its 88th jubilee and summit with the subject “Rekindling our Heritage” at Makhel of Manipur on Tuesday.
Sangma, addressing the Mao Community’s historic programme, praised the student population for putting on a spectacular show to commemorate the 88th anniversary of the Student Union’s founding.
He gave a talk in detail about how important it is to strike a balance between culture and politics in order to protect people’s identities, heritage, and ability to connect to their roots.
He stated that they must strike a balance between their culture and history, and engage with the basic principle to enhance their identity while ensuring their people’s economic progress.
He stated that India’s youths are both its asset and its challenge, and therefore it is critical that the youth’s enthusiasm and potential be channelled constructively.
He emphasised that the youths of Meghalaya kids are their greatest asset and yet their potential may also be harmful if it is not channelled into good activity.
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He briefed the audience on Meghalaya’s youth policy, which spotlights involving the youth in constructive activities.
He pronounced that the Youth Policy of Meghalaya would be centred on “One Skill, One Talent,” ensuring that each youth is given one skill and is given the opportunity to nurture their talent.
India’s greatest strength is its youth and as a result, it must be guaranteed that they value themselves and develop themselves appropriately to become empowered and autonomous citizens for our state, region, and the country as a whole continued Sangma.
The kids of the Northeast, particularly indigenous youth, must break free from the reservation mentality in order to keep up with the rest of the world, he said.
He also talked about his father’s advice, saying It’s all about competitiveness. Sangma said that he himself, was a firm believer in competing and therefore, he suggested that the kids of the northeast, particularly native children, needed to break free from the reservation mindset and move “Beyond Reservation.”
However, Sangma clarified that by stating that, he did not imply that reserved seats should be eliminated; rather, he meant to adjust their mindset and make them recognise that they will need to contend with the entire world someday.
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“We need to develop a competitive mindset. We need to realise that we are as good as others if not better and then we can compete with anybody not just in this country but in the whole world and so the mindset of the youth needs to change and we have to encourage them to start thinking big,” he said
He also briefed the audience on the state of Meghalaya’s upcoming child development initiative saying that Meghalaya will receive about Rs. 150 Crore from the World Bank for a child development programme, and they will become one of the country’s first states to do so.
He lastly expressed his joy for launching this unique programme targeting teenage girls and boys and subsequently supplementing their goal and vision for the Youth Policy of Northeast.
