The delegation, on a youth exchange programme in city, interacts with Collector

“I will be in the best position to create a beautiful world because I have experienced a not-so-beautiful world,” these words of District Collector Seeram Sambashiva Rao are all the more significant when addressed to a group of youngsters from Kashmir.

Sixty-five young men from J&K had an hour’s interaction with the Collector on Friday, during which he briefed them about the socio-political scenario of Kerala and the cultural peculiarities that made it what it is today.

The delegation, mostly comprising students, is on a youth exchange programme in Kozhikode, and the purpose of the visit is to study the developmental initiatives in Kerala and learn from them. The programme is part of an initiative of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in association with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).

Mr. Rao told the group about land reforms and the implementation of Panchayati Raj in its true sense, resulting in the overall development of the State.

Pointing out issues such as waste management and highlighting the State’s investment in the tourism sector, which has given it ample returns, the Collector said Kashmir had much more potential than Kerala with respect to tourism, and that it needed to be thoroughly explored.

He asked the youngsters to be ambassadors of their State and initiate development efforts by being part of the system. The delegation, on the other hand, wanted to know how Kerala had survived the floods in August, and how far the rebuilding process had progressed. They also sought tips to improve the tourism sector in Kashmir, which now contributes only 2% of the State’s GDP.

Programme coordinator Harikrishnan P. said the delegation was keen on learning about Kerala society and culture and the progress made by the State in the education sector.

After the interaction with the Collector, the delegation visited the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode. The group will visit the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium, Zoological Survey of India Museum, Krishna Menon Museum, and the Kappad beach in the coming days.

Courtesy: The Hindu: Dec 01,2018