Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has directed the Education department to work on priority for starting Scouts and Guides activities in all those Government educational institutions of the State in next few years, where no National Cadets Corps (NCC) or National Service Scheme (NSS) activities are in practice.The Chief Minister, who was presiding over the meeting of State Council of the Bharat Scouts & Guides on Friday evening here, said that these activities must be made mandatory in educational institutions as they help in inculcating the sense of self-discipline, patriotism, spirit of mutual co-operation in the children. He said that Government was committed to boost the Bharat Scouts & Guides movement and bring all schools under it in next two to three years as this was one of the best training modes for the students.He emphasized that the purpose of the Bharat Scouts and Guides movement was to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their physical, intellectual and social potential as individuals, responsible citizens and members of the local and national communities.
Shri Virbhadra Singh announced to enhance the grant-in-aid for the State unit of Bharat Scouts and Guides from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh and directed to make a corpus fund for utilizing the funds for various activities. He also announced to provide financial assistance of rupees one crore for completion of State Training Centre of Scouts and Guides at Riwalsar in Mandi district which would also provide training facility to the youth of other states as well adding that more funds would be released as per the requirement.He directed the Education department to absorb the services of those honorary employees of Scouts and Guides in the department for scouting purpose who had completed eight years of their service.The Chief Minister also released the Annual Report of the Bharat Scouts and Guides State Chapter on this occasion.He congratulated the new office bearers and special members of the State Council elected during the meeting.
The Chief Minister was unanimously re-elected as President, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Education Shri Neeraj Bharti, Chief Secretary Shri V.C Pharka, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri T.G Negi and Smt. Savitri Bharmauri as Vice Presidents and Director, Higher Education Shri Dinkar Burathoki as State Chief Commissioner of the State Council of Bharat Scouts & Guides.Earlier, State Chief Commissioner Shri Dinkar Burathoki detailed about the on-going activities of the Council. He informed that the work on the State-of-Art State Training Centre at Riwalsar was in progress and would be completed by the end of this year.Additional Chief Secretary, Education Shri P.C Dhiman presented the vote of thanks and informed that Scouts and Guides activities were being run in about 1300 Government schools and 20 colleges of the State.State Secretary, Bharat Scouts & Guides Dr. Devender Kashyap conducted the proceedings of the meeting.Secretary Education Shri Rakesh Sharma, Director, Elementary Education Shri Rakesh Sharma and other senior officers of the State Government attended the meeting.