New Delhi (PTI): Participation of girl cadets in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has more than doubled in the last one decade, DG NCC Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh said on Friday.

As NCC cadets from all over the country gathered in the national capital for the annual Republic Day camp, the DG NCC gave an overview of the activities undertaken by the cadets across the country, including in the Puneet Sagar Abhiyan under which more than 200 tonnes of plastic waste has been collected from different water bodies.

"The participation of girl cadets in the NCC is increasing every year," the DG NCC said.

Lt Gen Singh said the ratio of women in the NCC was around 13 per cent in 2010, which has gone up to around 35 per cent this year.

"Some states have a higher ratio of women cadets. States like Delhi, Kerala, and north eastern states have higher numbers of girls, with some states having almost 50 per cent girl cadets," he said.

Talking about the future plans of the NCC, Lt Gen Singh said training is being revamped and use of simulators for training is being increased.

At present the NCC is using 98 firing simulators, 71 rowing simulators, and 62 flying simulators.

"At all places we have facility of simulators," he said.

NCC's Republic Day camp in the national capital this year is being attended by 2,155 cadets from across the country, including 710 girls. It includes 114 cadets from Jammu and Kashmir and 120 cadets from the North-Eastern Region.

The camp will be formally inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday.

The NCC is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces. It is open to school and college students on a voluntary basis as a Tri-Services Organisation.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bhubaneswar (PTI): Train service resumed on both tracks of the Cuttack-Nergundi rail section in Odisha's Cuttack district on Monday morning following the derailment of the SMVT Bengaluru-Kamakhya AC Express on the route, a senior railway official said.

The derailment, which occurred between Kendrapara Road and Nergundi stations in the Cuttack-Bhadrak railway section on Sunday had disrupted train services temporarily, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) said in a statement.

The first passenger train, Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (train No-22823), passed the site in the down line at 10.25 am, it said.

ECoR's railway men worked tirelessly through the night and under challenging conditions to restore the affected tracks by 07:15 am on Monday, the track was cleared and ready for train movement and the Overhead Equipment (OHE) was fully restored by 07:40 am, it said.

ALSO READ: 1 killed, 7 injured as Bengaluru-Kamakhya AC Express derails in Odisha

The first train on the 'down line' passed through at 09:30 am, while the "up-line" resumed service shortly thereafter, a railway official said.

Trains resumed normal movement at reduced speeds (approximately 10 km per hour) as restoration work continued. Speed limits will be gradually increased as the situation stabilises, he said.

A 22-year-old youth from Alipurdwar in West Bengal was killed and three others injured in the accident. The railway authorities have provided compensation to the victims.

Due to the derailment, ECoR diverted 38 down-line trains and 17 up-line trains to alternative routes, ensuring minimal disruption to passengers.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, Kolkata under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Brijesh Kumar Mishra started an inquiry into the incident. He visited the site on Sunday night, said Parmeshwar Funkwal, general manager of East Coast Railway.

CRS will also hold a statutory inquiry in connection with the above incident where the details of the derailment and accident will be heard during the probe, he said.

Any member of the public having knowledge relating to the derailment and matters connected therewith and desiring to give evidence may do so at the office of the DRM/Khurda Road Division, Jatni (Khurda Road) on April 1 and 2, the official said.

Public having knowledge relating to the derailment can also write to "The Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Eastern Circle, 14, Strand Road, 12th Floor, Koilaghat Street, Kolkata-700001."