NCC Cadets during Full Dress Rehearsal. (file photo)
Responding to the report Govt discusses military training plan for disciplined 10-lakh ‘force of youth’ (July 17), Alok Deshwal, Joint Director (M&C), Press Information Bureau, has issued a statement.
“The report aims to sensationalize the whole matter by twisting facts and is devoid of reality. The Government strongly denies the sensational misrepresentation made in the report. The fact is that a meeting was held in PMO to revamp the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS). Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Human Resource Development and NCC, through the Ministry of Defence, participated in the discussion. The discussion was mainly focused on taking measures for strengthening NCC and NSS and how the youth could be empowered through these institutions.
It has been decided to set up a committee under the chairmanship of Shri Anil Swarup, the then Secretary, School Education, with suitable representations from NCC, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Ministry of HRD to suggest measures to strengthen NCC & NSS. The committee is expected to touch on issues like expansion, strengthening training infrastructure, rationalizing resources, reducing manpower deficiency affecting NCC and NSS.”
The reporter replies: The PIB statement confirms that a meeting was held in the Prime Minister’s Office, as mentioned in the report on the proposed National Youth Empowerment Scheme (N-YES). According to the statement, the discussion was focused on strengthening the NCC and the NSS. In fact, The Indian Express report mentioned that after reservations were raised, “another suggestion was made to strengthen the National Cadet Corps or NCC, instead”.
As for details on the 10-lakh “force of youth”, that was based on the proposal titled ‘National — YES’. This was circulated among the ministries represented at the meeting held in PMO.
On Monday, an SMS was sent to a senior PMO official informing him about the N-YES proposal, but no response was received.