Chief minister Raghubar Das promised to consider government job reservations for National Cadet Corps in Jharkhand to mark the 70th NCC Day on Sunday, besides sharing his own pride as a cadet in his college days.

Addressing 300 cadets at Audrey House here, the CM said, “In the coming days, the state government will surely consider some reservation in state government (job) vacancies for NCC cadets, through cadets have good opportunities in India Army.”

Underlining the NCC’s importance, Das said it played an vital role in the development of the state and country.

“I was an NCC cadet in my college life. I remember how being an NCC cadet was a matter of pride. NCC helps the youths of India to understand the country and people better and motivates them to work in the interests of the nation without being biased for or against any caste, creed and religion,” Das said in the presence of cadets, group commander Brigadier S.K. Prasad, lieutenant general (retired) Gyan Bhusan, vice chancellor of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University S.N. Munda and NCC officers.

NCC was founded in 1948 with 20,000 cadets. Today, there are over 13 lakh cadets in the country, including 30,000 in Jharkhand.

The CM said NCC cadets had a major role to play in the ongoing cleanliness mission.

“Eight per cent of diseases are caused due to dirt,” he said. “It is our duty to accomplish the Swachh Bharat mission by October 2, 2019, to mark Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. It is expected that cadets of the NCC, the world’s largest outfit of uniformed youth, will play a proactive role. They are expected to go from village to village to create awareness on cleanliness and ask people to use toilets,” Das said.

NCC cadets presented a cultural medley, including a mime on Swachh Bharat, Nagpuri dance and tribal fashion show.