Take advantage of the demographic dividends: Kharkongor

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Feb 18: Take advantage of the demographic dividends by way of investing in the young people, exhorted the Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Sports and Youth Affairs Department, F. R. Kharkongor.

He was addressing a youth festival under the theme ‘A smart teeger, for a bright future’organised by the Directorate of Health Services (MCH&FW), tiol Health Mission, Meghalaya in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Commission for Women and the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills District, in Shillong on Saturday.  Shillong organised a Youth Festival under the theme: “A smart teeger, for a bright future” on 18th February, 2017 at U Soso Tham

Addressing the gathering, Kharkongor said the festival will act as a vital and effective platform for the youth to interact with each other and share issues relating to adolescent health. Stating that India has the largest population of adolescents in the world, Kharkongor said, “we need to work hard and take advantage of this demographic dividend by way of investing in our young people, not just to make them skilled economic assets, but as confident, healthy well protected persons who can take charge of their own lives as well as of the society”.

“But for young citizens to be healthy, responsible and active members of society, we need to ensure that the adolescents transit into adulthood in a protective and ebling environment. As adolescents flourish, so do communities, and all of us have a collective responsibility in ensuring that adolescence does in fact become an age of opportunity”, he said.

Besides open interactions with the experts and counsellors, the whole day festival included power point presentations on topics like ‘Importance of Nutrition for Adolescents’ ‘Reproductive and Sexual Health’, ‘Gender, Rights and Violence among Adolescent’ and ‘Cyber Crime and Social Media’.