Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approves NCC expansion to 173 border & coastal districts 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a major expansion scheme proposed by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to meet the aspirations of youth in all the border and coastal districts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the proposals of the scheme in his Independence Day address on August 15. 

As per the scheme, a total of one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted in the NCC. One-third of the total Cadets would be girls. NCC will be introduced in more than 1000 schools and colleges identified in border and coastal districts of the country.

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As part of the expansion plan, as many as 83 NCC units will be upgraded, consisting of 53 Army units, 20 Navy and 10 Air Force, to train the cadets in the border and coastal areas. 

The Indian Army will train and support the NCC units located in the border areas, the Navy will support NCC units in the coastal areas and the Air Force will support the NCC units located near to the Air Force stations. 

This will not only provide exposure to the aspiring youth of the border and coastal areas to military training but will also motivate them to join the armed forces. The NCC expansion plan will be implemented in corporation with the States.

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Rajnath Singh unfurls the national flag

Celebrating India's 74th Independence Day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday unfurled the national flag at his residence in New Delhi. He said, "We will get freedom in its true meaning when India becomes 'Aatma Nirbhar' (self-reliant). So today we need to take a pledge to make India self-reliant."

Taking to Twitter, the Defence Minister greeted the nation and wrote, "Warm greetings to every Indian on the occasion of 74th Independence Day."

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(Image credits: PTI)