New Delhi, Jan 5: Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of encouraging youths and students in nation building, the National Cadets Corps (NCC) has enrolled 55,400 students from Left Wing Extremism (LWE) region, spread from states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and border areas.
Talking to reporters here, NCC Director General Lt Gen P P Malhotra said, "We associate ourselves with schools and colleges. Wherever there are schools and colleges, we go there and form NCC units. We are in fourth and fifth phases of expansion. Under these phases, we have enrolled over 55,000 students from LWE areas".
Highlighting the challenges that the trainers faced in LWE areas, Lt Gen Malhotra said the instructors work hard, they cross forest areas and train the students. Sometimes they had to stay there only.
Further talking on expansion of the Corps, the director general said, "Our aim is to expand it to 15 lakh by 2020".
He also talked about the NCC camp held in Naxal-infested Bastar district in Chhattisgarh and said when the camp was held in this district, the students from the adjoining areas also participated into it.
Vice president Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the NCC Republic Day camp on Monday, where a total of 2070 cadets including 695 girls drawn from 29 states and 7 union territories will participate in a month-long camp.
This year 102 cadets from Jammu and Kashmir, 9 less from last year are taking part into it. In 2017, 106 cadets had participated in the camp. Among 102 cadets from Jammu and Kashmir, the number of girl cadets from Jammu, Kashmir and Lashak region stood at 24, 6 and 15, respectively.
162 cadets from North Eastern Region will also be participating in this camp.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, her junior Subhash Bhamre, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy will pay visit later.
It will conclude with the Prime Minister's rally on January 28.