New Delhi [India]: President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards for 2019-20 from Rashtrapati Bhawan through virtual mode on Friday. Addressing the ceremony, Kovind said, “India is called a young country. I congratulate all the awardees. With the primary objective of developing the personality and character of students through voluntary community service, NSS (central sector) was launched in 1969.” “The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi,” he added Further, the president said that a society that provides opportunities to women in every walk of life as per their wishes and capabilities is called a progressive society. Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur and Minister of State Nisith Pramanik also attended the ceremony from Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi. Anurag Thakur, while talking to the media, said, “The number of awardees (1/3 are women and girls) shows that women play an extensive role in nation-building. Around 40 lakhs of NSS volunteers are serving society in different sectors.”
42 awardees in three different categories like university or (+2) councils, NSS Units and their programme officers and NSS volunteers were conferred with these awards. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Youth Affairs confers the National Service Scheme Award every year to recognise and reward outstanding contributions towards voluntary community service made by the universities or colleges, (+2) councils, senior secondary, NSS units or programme officers and NSS volunteers, with a view to further promote NSS in the country. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in an official statement said that NSS is a Centrally Sector Scheme that was launched in the year 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Briefly, the NSS volunteers work on issues of social relevance, which keep evolving in response to the needs of the community, through regular and special camping activities. Such issues include literacy and education, health, family welfare and nutrition, environment conservation, social service programmes, programmes for the empowerment of women, programmes connected with economic development activities, rescue and relief during calamities, etc.
