General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command Lt. General Sanjiv Chachra, AVSM, VSM, today called on the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and expressed concern over reducing number of men from Punjab due to the deteriorating health and energy level of Punjabi youth as Punjab always remained a major recruitment area for the Indian Army. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office informed that during an hour long interaction, Mr. Badal apprised the Lt. General about the concerted efforts being made to make youth of the Punjab more disciplined and physically fit to join armed forces through establishing Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institution Mohali, two NCC academies at Ropar and Malout, beside planning to start an intensive SSB training centre for girls.On this occasion Lt. Gen. Sanjiv Chachra also offered to initiate some joint plan for ensuring more recruitment from the state in the Army. For which Mr. Badal asked his office to chalk out the modalities.Appreciating the efforts of state government for providing 200 acres of land for setting up of Service Selection Centre at Ropar, Gen. Chachra informed that Army would start the construction work there soon. He also requested the Chief Minister to adjust the maximum number of ex-servicemen. in the state government services as per their quota. Gen. Chachra also assured the Chief Minister that army would provide a list of professionals like doctors, engineers who were going to retire in next sixth months to the state government for utilizing their expertise as per the requirement of the government.