Page 113 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
COVID-19 and youth volunteering in India

Table 1. State-wise NSS volunteer enrolment The government’s long-term commitment highlights its
focus on developing youth leadership and encouraging
State No. of volunteers enrolled community service initiatives. Looking forward, the
till March 31, 2023
A&N Island 1,600 Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (2022) has proposed
an impressive 97% increase in the budget allocation for
Andhra Pradesh 217,300 the NSS for the fiscal year 2022 – 2023. This significant
Arunachal Pradesh 17,800 funding boost not only prolongs the existing 5-year
Assam 64,100 term of the NSS but also enhances its importance
Bihar 35,629 and effectiveness. This initiative demonstrates the
Chandigarh 18,137 government’s recognition of the key role of the NSS in
Chhattisgarh 104,298 empowering young individuals and fostering a spirit
of service and leadership. Nevertheless, this increase
Daman and Diu and D&N Haveli 2,700
in funding is insufficient to provide the necessary
Delhi 68,365 professional training for NSS volunteers, which is essential
Goa 30,900 for them to make meaningful contributions to their
Gujarat 182,580 communities during emergencies such as the COVID-19
Haryana 153,600 pandemic. At present, each NSS unit comprising of 100
Himachal Pradesh 85,050 volunteers has been allotted Rs. 75,000/- (885USD) which
J&K 35,600 includes NSS regular activity Rs. 40,000/- (472USD) and
special camping program is Rs. 35,000/- (413 USD).
Jharkhand 32,555 Furthermore, the out-of-pocket allowance Rs. 6000/- is
Karnataka 321,000 given to the NSS program officer per year. Instead, it
Kerala 231300 should be increased to Rs. 1,50,000/- (1771USD) in
Lakshadweep 1,200 which Rs. 90,000/- (1062USD) should be allotted for
Madhya Pradesh 159,300 NSS regular activity and Rs. 60,000/-(708USD) should
Maharashtra 356,800 be allotted for special camping program. Furthermore,
the NSS program officer should be given out-of-pocket
Manipur 20,950
Meghalaya 37,400 allowance Rs. 12,000/- (141USD). Such kind of increase
in fund will increase the quality and number of training
Mizoram 30,100 programs to the NSS volunteers to prepare them as
Nagaland 17,176 a cadet of volunteers for providing frontline support
Odisha 115,464 services during emergencies. Therefore, it is imperative
Puducherry 16,900 to augment funding to support professional training for
Punjab 162,548 NSS volunteers, enabling them to participate effectively
Rajasthan 211,800 in community service initiatives. Such training will
Sikkim 16,400 equip them to respond proactively during times of crisis
by implementing continuous monitoring and utilizing
Tamil Nadu 391,496 appropriate communication strategies to reduce risks
Telangana 150,700 among the general public (Genovese et al., 2022).
Tripura 34,300
Uttar Pradesh 321,000 5. COVID-19 and the visibility of the NSS
Uttarakhand 60,600 In today’s world, young people are facing significant
West Bengal 117,400 changes in both education and labor markets, which have
Total 38,24,048 a profound impact on their lives. Young generations have
Source: Copyright © 2023 National Service Scheme, National Service been forced to radically adapt their lifestyles in response
Scheme (n.d.). to contemporary conditions. Recent evidence suggests
that the participatory culture has also changed for young
to youth empowerment through community service. generations (Soler-i-Martí, 2015). For example, during the
In addition, the Government of India has committed devastating COVID-19 pandemic that caused widespread
Rs. 1,627 crores (192108675USD) to support the NSS fear and panic, people were primarily concerned with
program during the 15 Finance Commission Cycle from their own survival and took extreme measures to protect
th
2021 to 2026 (National Service Scheme allocation, n.d.). themselves. In a state of fear, individuals found it challenging

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 105 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.4717