<<Last week, media reports said that the Indian Army had passed an order to all its soldiers going on leave – soldiers are authorised 60 days of annual leave – to spend time doing “social service” to enhance “nation-building efforts”. What are they supposed to do? The Army HQ’s list of suggestions: Talk to the local community about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Ucchtar Shiksha Abhiyan, SAKSHAM, Samagra Shiksha, Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and Jan Aushadhi Kendra, the benefits of insurance schemes like National Pension Scheme (NPS), Atal Pension Yojana, livestock insurance, Rashtriya Swasth Bima Yojana, Deendayal Gramin Kaushalya Yojana, and Gram Jyoti Yojana.
Army HQ is serious enough to ask for quarterly feedback from all formations about the outcome of this initiative. But it doesn’t stop at that. The already-stretched Army units have been tasked to empower and equip these “soldier-ambassadors” with structured literature and enabling content so they can market government schemes effectively. The Shimla-based Army Training Command, which should be focusing on its core task of keeping the Army trained for future conflicts, is preparing scripts on subjects which soldiers will carry when they are on leave and use in this “social service” exercise! Ostensibly, the purpose of this exercise is nation-building, though every single scheme mentioned by Army HQ carries the distinct imprint of the Modi government. Else, it would have also listed schemes like the UPA-era NREGS [or the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, National Food Security Act, Right to Information Act, Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, etc. etc.] or those run by Opposition-ruled states like Rajasthan, Kerala or Punjab. Clearly, it is a purely political initiative in which the Army has agreed to let its soldiers act as ambassadors of the Modi government, which faces a tough general election next year. Why else would the nation require building at this stage, when it has been strong and resilient after being painstakingly built in the early years of our independence?>> (Excerpted from: < https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/soldiers-on-leave-now-govts-marketing-agents-by-order-of-army-hq-2680096 >.) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZj5dw06TJQs%3Dps-XKy-FpXBXuY7MKZwzuLSU%2BJo0bZV8g%40mail.gmail.com.
