CM Shiela Dixit Launches Online Youth Portal

With an objective of mobilizing the Delhi youth and involving them under the existing Bhagidari scheme of the Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Chief Minister Shiela Dixit recently launched YouthPortal.in. With “connect for change” as its punchline, the portal is a socio-entrepreneurial venture aiming to connect young ideas for social change through the Internet.

The Bhagidari initiative, started by Hon’ble Chief Minister has constantly endeavored to promote citizen’s partnership in governance. It has over the years grown from 20 Citizen Groups to more than 2300 as of today. With the launch of the portal, in partnership with The Electronic Youth Media Group, the CM believes that, “the city’s youth can collaborate their ideas online for enabling change on ground and continuously work towards improving our surroundings. The power of digital media is immense and this time we will use it to mobilize youth to work on some key issues.”

The portal will host an E-NGO for Bhagidari on which there will be Action Groups on the CM’s 10 point agenda for the city and youth. These are:

1. Eradicating the use of Plastic Bags
2. Promote use of Solar Energy
3. Harvest water
4. Recycling water and paper
5. Segregate wet and dry waste
6. Create Car Pool Network
7. Stop sticking posters in public
8. Stop wastage of Energy and Water
9. Protect Greens and Trees
10. Ensure Road Safety

While elaborating on her key 10 points and motivating the youth already active on facebook and other online platforms to get involved, the Hon’ble CM also added an extra pointer as a token of shagun significance. Explaining the significance of the new 3 R’s, as against the ‘older’ 3 R’s, the CM explained how in her school days they were told to understand the significance of Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic. However, today’s generation also needs to remember Reduce, Recycle and Reuse and that is the 11th pointer the CM added in her agenda for the youth.

“Awareness and collaboration is fundamental to bringing about sustainable change. We have tied up with various campuses and youth organizations to ensure on-ground action,” Samyak S. Chakrabarty, M.D., Electronic Youth Media Group summer up the portal’s significance. The Portal enables users to float their own E-NGOs, Action Groups and Square Tables. A young citizens reporting network called YP-Pulse has also a part of the portal.

Shortly after the launch at the Delhi Secretariat, the media surrounded the CM not so much for queries on youth and action but more so for CM’s comments and feedback on the ongoing preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2010. Indeed the first few action projects on the portal may well be around the CWG and its relationship with Delhi city.