NEW DELHI: Terming former NCC cadets as strong pillars of India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that they contribute to the nation’s development in diverse fields, not just passively but as active drivers.
He made these comments after chairing the first Governing Council Meeting of the National Cadet Corps Alumni Association (NCCAA) in the national capital.
The NCCAA, a flagship association of NCC Alumni, aims to carry forward the work of the world’s largest uniformed youth organisation by bringing the former and current cadets under one umbrella and enhancing their participation in the nation-building process.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first member of this association, and the Defence Minister is registered as the second alumnus, an official release issued here said.
Singh described NCC as a platform that presents an ideal for the youth of the country.
“We need to include the guidance of our former cadets to accelerate the goal of national development,” he said, exuding confidence that NCCAA will provide new energy and direction to NCC.
He also exhorted the NCC to spread the values and qualities of its cadets to a larger section of people with the spirit of NCC Plus.
“NCC instils these values in the youth who are associated with NCC. Our effort should be to ensure that these values reach those who could not join NCC,” he added.
Singh also said that NCCAA can be actively associated with nation-building efforts through programmes such as ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, ‘Swachhta Abhiyan’ and various community development and social service schemes, which would influence a large part of the population.
Commending the NCC for its significant contribution in the all-round development of the youth, the minister said, “In true spirit of its motto ‘Unity and Discipline’, NCC has always been committed to national unity and nation building. It has helped lakhs of youth, including students from remote areas, to become disciplined and motivated”.
The meeting was attended by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Department of Education) Sanjay Kumar, and several other government officials.
Agencies