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The Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has underlined the need to motivate the states to accord due importance to NCC as it is an important organisation engaged in nation building. Addressing the meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here today, the Minister said that we have to come out of the mind set that NCC is Centre’s responsibility. Praising the NCC the Defence Minister said that its role in transforming the lives of the cadets by making them good citizens with appropriate social values has brought about a change in the destinies of numerous young cadets. Referring to the various social and voluntary community development programmes launched by NCC Shri Mukherjee said that a pilot project for the aforestation of Himalayas in consultation with G B Pan Himalayan Environment and Development Institute, Almora was very successful. The defence Minister said that efforts put in by the NCC in the fields of national integration, community development and disaster relief are indeed commendable. He said thousands of cadets worked relentlessly to provide succor and relief to those affected by tsunami disaster and the recent floods in Gujarat. The Minister expressed the hope that NCC will evolve into a dynamic organisation relevant to the changing needs and aspirations of the youth of our country.
While complementing the role of NCC in moulding character and developing good citizenship amongst the students’ community the Members of Parliament gave various suggestions to strengthen it as per the need of changing times. They were of the view that more financial and human resource support should be given to NCC. Some members were of the view that Centre should bear the burden of some of the North-Eastern states who are not able to contribute their share for NCC. But one mem! ber disagreed with this suggestion and said that NCC is a national responsibility and every state should be pursued to fulfill his commitment towards this organisation. Another member suggested that NCC officers posted in District Headquarters should be provided good accommodation. There was a suggestion from a member to impart foreign training to the officers of NCC on the lines of youth exchange programme conducted by it. He suggested that there is equal need to motivate the instructors besides the cadets in the organisation. There was also a suggestion to make NCC compulsory for students.
Responding to the suggestions the defence Minister said that he will look into it. He said he will take up the issue of non sharing of NCC expenditure by various states with the respective Chief Ministers. The Defence Minister also announced that NCC has been asked to enroll 25,000 cadets in the North East. The entire expenditure for this will be borne by the Centre.
Earlier DG, NCC Lt. Gen M C Bhandari gave a detailed presentation about the activities and challenges before NCC.
Members who attended the meeting were Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Shri Naveen Jindal, Shri M A Kharabela Swain, Shri Samik Lahiri, Shri Kailash Nath Singh Yadav, Porf. Ram Gopal Yadav, Shri Sanjay Dhotre, Shri Shankhlal Majhi, Shri Madhu Goud Yaskhi (Members Lok Sabha) and Dr. Karan Singh, Smt Sushma Swaraj, Shri K Jana Krishnamurty, Dr. Vijay Mallaya, Shri Robert Kharshiing and Shri Dara Singh Chauhan, Shri Santosh Bagrodia (Members Rajya Sabha).
The Minister of State for Defence Production Shri BK Handique, Defence Secretary Shri Ajai Vikram Singh, Secretary Defence Finance Ms Somi Tandon , DG NCC Lt. Gen M C Bhandari and various senior civil and military officials attended the meeting.
UKM / SKS / HS
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