In India, where a significant youth population coexists with limited engagement in democracy, Karnataka stands out as a beacon of hope. While the State performs relatively better in youth development, there remains a pressing need to increase youth participation in governance and politics.
To address this crucial issue, GRAAM (Gramin Abhivruddi Abhiyana), in collaboration with PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia) and HSF (Heinrich Böll Stiftung), has undertaken a year-long fellowship programme in Mysuru.
As part of the training in the intricacies of the governance structure, GRAAM organised a visit to local and State-level governance institutions, ranging from Gram Panchayats to the State Assembly. The Youth for Governance (Y4G) fellows were on a day-long visit to the Karnataka State Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council at Vidhana Soudha recently (on September 6).
During this visit, the Y4G fellows had the opportunity to explore both the Assembly and the Council Houses. They received in-depth orientation on the structure, functioning, and proceedings of the legislative bodies. The highlight of the visit was their interaction with bureaucrats and public representatives, including Karnataka State Development Commissioner Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, a release said here.
Interacting with the fellows, Dr. Shalini Rajneesh emphasised, “One should always be curious to learn more; knowledge has no limit.”
She encouraged students to engage with communities and governance institutions and understand the challenges faced in the development process.
She also encouraged them to delve into government schemes and programmes and make meaningful contributions through effective involvement.
Understanding the interest of the fellows, she assigned a task related to various developmental aspects, which they will investigate through field visits to the community and respective government departments and develop a report on it, according to GRAAM.
The bureaucrat’s insights and inspiring words motivated the youth of Mysuru to actively engage with their communities and understand the challenges faced.
Thrilled about participation
The Youth for Governance Mysuru fellows were thrilled about their visit to Vidhana Soudha and the opportunity to interact with the bureaucrats.
“This initiative is a crucial step toward nurturing an informed and engaged youth population, ready to play an active role in shaping the governance landscape of Karnataka and India,” the release said.
“I am so thrilled to have been a part of this visit; it was a truly enriching experience,” said Swarna S. Radhakrishnan, a Y4G fellow, pursuing Masters in Public Health in JSS-AHER.
GRAAM’s team included Dr. Basavaraju R. Shreshta, Mr. Bhagavan Bidarakote, Ms. Jyoti Dabaas and Mr. Vijai Koladi Mutheri.
The Y4G fellowship intends to increase youth participation in governance and encourage youth to be agents of change.
For more information about the fellowship, contact Bhagavan Bidarakote from GRAAM at +91 9620207879 or bhagavan.br@graam.org.in. GRAAM is also conducting a 2-day Public Policy certification course aimed at educating youth in the policy and governance space. Programme details and registration information are available on GRAAM’s website www.graam.org.in
