4,500-plus youth register for Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas

More than 4,500 young people have already registered for Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas (BJYS) in Dakshina Kannada, marking an encouraging response to the State Government’s ambitious programme to bring young people together and encourage their active participation in community development, social unity and youth empowerment. The programme is aimed at young people in the 16 to 35 age group and is being implemented across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Gram Panchayats.

Each Sangha will have 100 members, creating a grassroots platform for young people to come to gether, develop leadership skills and take up activities for the benefit of their communities. Dakshina Kannada has set a target of forming 346 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas during 2026, taking the initiative to communities across the district. Speaking to News Trail, Rajani, Superintendent, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Mangaluru, said the response to the programme has been encouraging and the department is closely looking forward to its expansion across the district.

“We are very enthusiastic to see the progress of this much awaited and ambitious programme. The response from the youth has been encouraging, and we are happy to see more young people coming forward to be part of the Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas. We hope these Sang has will become active platforms where young people come together, participate and work for their communities,” she said. The formation of a Sangha in volves two stages. Young people interested in joining the initiative can register individually through the BJYS website or mobile application.

Once the required number of members come together, the Sangha has to undergo the prescribed formal registration process with the department. After completing the required formalities, the members can constitute their committee and proceed with activities. The leader ship structure has district-level involvement. The President of each Sangha will be selected by a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner. A mentor will also be assigned to every Sangha to guide the members, assist in planning activities and help the group function effectively. The Government will provide the mentor a fee of ?3,000.

The Sanghas have been given a wide range of activities. These include sports and fitness events, community development, environmental conservation, health related programmes, cultural activities, social unity, skill development and youth empowerment. Young people will also be encouraged to celebrate the birth days of national heroes and observe national festivals. Activities related to disaster management and relief, cyber safety and other community needs will also form part of the programme. An important feature is systematic planning and documentation.

Every Sangha will have to prepare an activity calendar, while the activities conducted must be geo-tagged and up loaded to the BJYS website. This will create a digital record of programmes conducted by dif ferent Sanghas and enable the department to monitor activities across the district. Financial support is also proposed for the Sanghas. Each Sangha will be eligible for an annual grant of ?10 lakh, subject to the prescribed procedures and conditions. The funds will be released for approved activities after the Sangha completes the required registration and organisational formalities.

The early response in Dakshina Kannada, with more than 4,500 individual registrations, indicates considerable interest among young people. The next challenge is to convert these registrations into formally constituted Sanghas and work towards the district’s target of 346 units. The State Government’s larger vision is to create a structured youth network that goes beyond membership. By bringing young people together through sports, community service, environmental initiatives, cultural activities, skill development and social programmes, the Sanghas seek to turn youthful energy into meaningful action.

For Dakshina Kannada, the growing registration numbers provide an encouraging beginning. The real measure of the programme, however, will be the activities that emerge from these groups and the extent to which young people take owner ship of their communities. The initiative places youth at the centre of community life, giving them a platform to come together.