If top sources are to be believed, the NaMo administration is considering the merger of departments under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. Reportedly, the matter has already been discussed with Prime Minister who had apparently given his consent but then he was not in haste to implement the merger of Department of Youth Affairs and Department of Sports. When the outgoing Youth Affairs Secretary Ms Upma Choudhary (IAS:1983:HP) is retiring this month and Radhey Shyam Julania (IAS:1985:MP) may remain as the torch bearer in the ministry. Amid the new list of Secretary level appointments and reshuffle under process possibility of the merger of the two departments may not be ruled out.   

Experts say that there is a thin demarcation line between the two departments. Broadly, sport is the main constituency of youth affairs as sports is primarily about youths. It is understood that 65-70 per cent of the matter pertaining to youth affairs is directly/indirectly linked with sports whereas youth affairs is about instilling sportsman spirit, team-building and collectiveness among youths.

Those in the know of the affairs say that in case the two departments are merged together, it would be nothing but a logical consequence of the commonality of the two domains and NaMo Govt’s tagline ‘Minium Government & Maximum Governance”.