Outstanding youngsters should be encouraged to contribute more to the country through management and policy making initiatives, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in Hanoi on March 20.

Nhan made the statement during a meeting with all 140 past winners of the "Vietnam Outstanding Young People" Prize who have been named since 1996 and representatives of ministries and authorised bodies.

Nhan lauded the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union for hosting the prize, which honours 10 young people annually for their excellent achievements in national construction and development.

He said the award had helped foster young talents to make contributions to the nation.

The Deputy PM also told awardees to propose their own ways to practise thrift and combat any waste of the country's property, capacity and intellect.

Nhan asked ministries, sectors and localities to work out good human resources plans from which they could work with education and training institutions and organisations to supply personnel to meet socio-economic development demands.

At the meeting, awardees shared ideas and aspirations calling for more Government policies to attract and foster talented people and create opportunities for young people to contribute to national policy making.

Voices were also raised to ask for preferential policies for young people in remote, island and border areas.

Some suggested the Government should establish a specialised information channel which would facilitate contributions from outstanding youngsters to the country's policy making and management.

Since its inception 14 years ago, the country has recognised 23 individuals in the education sector, 24 in science and technology research and 25 in national defence and security./.