News:The massive reverse migration of people from urban areas to villages ever since lockdown was imposed due to COVID-19 has put focus on the Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture(ARYA) scheme.
Facts:
- The ARYA Scheme was initiated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR).
- Objectives:
- To attract and empower the Youth in Rural Areas to take up various Agriculture, allied and service sector enterprises for sustainable income and gainful employment in selected districts.
- To enable the Farm Youth to establish network groups to take up resource and capital intensive activities like processing, value addition and marketing.
- To demonstrate functional linkage with different institutions and stakeholders for convergence of opportunities available under various schemes/programs for sustainable development of youth.
- Implementation: It is implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendras which in turn involves several scientific institutions as technology partners.
- The scheme is presently being implemented in 100 districts in the country on an experimental basis.