Ex-servicemen being mobilised to aid fight

nNEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Thursday announced that it is mobilising thousands of ex-servicemen (ESM) to assist state governments and district administrations, wherever required, to supplement the country’s efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

A ministry spokesperson said the department of ex-servicemen welfare has taken the initiative. “Rajya Sainik Boards, Zila Sainik Boards are playing a dynamic role in identifying and mobilising maximum ESM volunteers to assist the state and district administration in performing public outreach activities such as contact tracing, community surveillance, management of quarantine facilities or any such tasks assigned to them,” the ministry said in a statement.

More than 8,500 military doctors and support staff are ready to help the government, while 9,000 hospital beds have been prepared to meet emergency requirements, the armed forces told the government on Wednesday.

It said more than 4,200 ESM are assisting in data collection from villages in Punjab, Chhattisgarh has employed veterans to help the police, district collectors in Andhra Pradesh have sought the assistance of ESM volunteers and retired medical personnel have been kept on standby in Uttar Pradesh.

The ministry also said the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has issued guidelines for temporary employment of its cadets, aged over 18, to augment relief efforts and the functioning of various agencies involved in battling the pandemic under ‘Exercise NCC Yogdan’.