Highlighting the importance of teachings and values of Swami Vivekananda in today's competitive environment, Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee addressed the first meeting of the National Implementation Committee constituted to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The meeting was attended by Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni, Minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal, representative of Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math Mrinal Miri, Secretary of Ministry of Culture Jawahar Sircar and AS and FA of Ministry of Culture Deepali Khanna.
The National Implementation Committee in the meeting chaired by the Finance Minister has approved in principle Swami Vivekananda Values Education Project at the cost of INR 100 crore. Under the 'Print Media' programmes various publication activities will be taken up including distribution of complete work of Swamiji's to the libraries of 311 Indian universities, 465 government approved libraries and 100 Indian Embassies in different countries. Under the 'Youth Programme', Vivekananda Centre for Youth Counseling will be set up in 9 major cities for counseling to groups and invidividuals, two National Youth Conventions with the themes 'National Growth/Development' and 'Religious Harmony', five Regional Youth camps and a number of youth camps at State level will be held.
