Date:13/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/13/stories/2008101356110600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘NCC strength being increased’

Staff Reporter

Kakinada: Five hundred National Cadet Corps cadets from all over the country took part in an impressive ceremonial parade organised as part of a Special National Integration Camp here on Sunday.

Cadets from 17 Directorates, including that of the host State, participated in the event.

Union Minister of State for Defence and NCC Central Advisory Committee chairman M. M. Pallam Raju, who was the chief guest, said the NCC has embarked on the process of increasing its strength to 15,00,000 from the present 13,00,000.

It has also initiated career counselling for cadets. Nearly 2,00,000 cadets have so far benefited from the counselling programme.

To overcome the problem of instructors, the Ministry of Defence, under which the NCC came into existence in 1948, was recruiting ex-servicemen so that the cadets were not deprived of training in the three services viz. Army, Navy and Air Force.

Constant efforts were being made to encourage the youth to join NCC whose objective was to groom them into disciplined and patriotic citizens.

Efforts appreciated

Mr. Pallam Raju appreciated the services being rendered by the NCC cadets, particularly during natural calamities like flood and cyclones.

He exhorted the cadets to keep the spirit going and to rise to the occasion when their skills in activities of the three wings of Armed Forces were sought to be utilised.

Earlier, Mr. Pallam Raju and NCC Director General Lt. Gen. Prakash S Chaudhary reviewed the parade and received the guard of honour.