2 Oct :Following is the full text of address delivered by Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju after administering the Communal Harmony Pledge to over 7,000 NCC cadets at the ‘Sankalp Rally’ held at India Gate Lawns, here today:
It is indeed a pleasure to address the young cheerful cadets of National Cadet Corps representing the length and the breadth of the Country on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti today. As the Raksha Rajya Mantri I haven been very closely associated with the activities and developments in the National Cadet Corps. It is an organization that moulds the youth of the country into disciplined and responsible citizens. It is evident from the fact that so many prominent personalities of the Country who have been leaders in politics, administration, Armed Forces and various other fields of life have been members of the NCC during their younger days and attribute NCC training for their success.
It has been a real joy to witness such a vibrant and colourful cultural Bonanza. Your energetic show proves the hard effort put in by you and the spirit of oneness. This further strengthens my belief that National Cadet Corps training is helping you in developing your personality in totality.
The Youth is the pillar of a society and NCC is doing a great service to the nation by grooming them well. The NCC has been playing a vital role in inculcating the qualities of discipline, leadership, camaraderie, team spirit, adventure and national integration amongst the students of the country
The NCC cadets have always been actively involved in Social and Community Development activities. NCC has always been at the forefront of galvanizing public perception against social evils through its “Share and Care” like spreading awareness on like AIDS, Drug Abuse, Cancer, Anti dowry and anti female foeticide and so on. Today you are a powerful instrument for spreading awareness in the country at the grass root level. Recently you all planted over 3 lakh trees on a single day during Paryavaran Diwas. Similarly your contribution to help the flood affected in the recent floods in Bihar is laudable.
NCC has also been providing the youth an opportunity to go out and see the world outside. A number of cadets have visited foreign countries through the Youth Exchange Programme of NCC and have come back better informed & wiser. The adventure activities are another exciting facet of NCC. The NCC has also played a vital role in the fields of adventure and sports. It is very heartening to learn that cadets have excelled in these fields and have achieved great success at national and international levels. The recent rich haul of medals by the NCC cadets at Shooting Championship strengthens my belief in you.
NCC as an organization has undergone a lot of changes in the past two years. The training in NCC has been restructured from 3 years for senior division to 2 years to enable more cadets to undergo NCC training. I am aware that there is a great demand for starting NCC in large number of institutions. We are in the process of increasing the cadet strength of NCC from 13 lakhs to 15 lakhs.
Of late, NCC has also started guiding the youth on the various career options that are available to them through the “Career Counseling” programme and also conducts “Personality Development”. This is especially beneficial to the rural youth and the children of the middle class families. I am helpful that you all are taking full benefit of these programmes. This will stand you good in all you future endeavour and prepare you to face life.
Since inception in 1949, NCC has played a very important role in shaping the future of the youth by instilling in them the sense of discipline, patriotism, hard work and ideals of secularism. The multifaceted training imparted to NCC Cadets aims to make you ideal citizens of our Nation. The qualities of leadership, comradeship and secular outlook imbibed by you, makes you excel in whichever profession you choose. Thus, the NCC has created a vast human reservoir of organized, trained and motivated youth for the nation, to fall back on in times of need. On this occasion, I wish the National cadet Corps all success in all its endeavors.
I am convinced that you will live upto the Oath of Communal Harmony you have taken today, and the society and the Country will benefit from your efforts.