Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the contribution made by India’s youth in fields ranging from sports to startups, saying that no power can stop a country whose youth works with the spirit of “nation first”, Trend reports citing Hindustan Times.
Addressing the annual National Cadet Corps (NCC) rally at Cariappa ground in national Capital, Modi said, “Today, India is among the top three startup countries in the world. The number of unicorns that have been developed amid the Covid-19 pandemic is a show of strength of the youth of India…”
He added, “No power in the world can stop the country whose youth starts moving ahead with the thinking of nation first. India’s success in the field of sports and startups ecosphere exemplifies this very clearly.”
Underlining the key role youth can play in the government’s ‘vocal for local’ campaign, the PM said, “If today’s youth resolves to use only those goods that have been created with the labour and sweat of an Indian, India’s destiny can be transformed.”
During the annual rally, Modi wore a rifle-green turban with a red-coloured feather, similar to how Sikh cadets wear it in the NCC. He inspected the Guard of Honour and reviewed a march past by the NCC contingents. Defence minister Rajnath Singh was also present during the event.
Modi said efforts are being made to strengthen the NCC with a high-level review committee being formed in this regard last September. “I am happy that the use of modern technologies such as simulation has increased in the training of NCC cadets. The country is also taking many steps to connect our education system with NCC. Under the self-financing scheme, one lakh (100,000) cadets have been expanded in colleges across the country. The same effort has now been started in schools for one lakh cadets,” he added.
In the last two years, 100,000 new cadets have been created in the border areas of the country, he said. “Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, more than 90 universities have started offering NCC as an elective course.”
The PM noted the presence of large number of girl cadets, saying it was a symbol of “changing attitude of the nation”. “At a time when the daughters of the country are taking admission in Sainik Schools, getting major responsibilities in the army, and flying fighter planes in the Air Force, it should be our endeavor that more and more daughters should be included in NCC as well,” Modi added.
Talking about the menace of drug abuse on campuses, the PM asked NCC members to work towards keeping themselves and their campuses free of drugs and also help others, who are not in the NCC or NSS (National Social Service), in getting rid of this.
He asked the NCC members to start awareness campaigns to fight misinformation. “Today, on the one hand, there are good possibilities related to digital technology and information, on the other hand there are dangers of misinformation. It is also necessary that the common man of our country should not fall prey to any rumour. The NCC cadets can run an awareness campaign for this,” the PM said.