Scouts and Guides to increase membership to 10 lakh in 3 years

The State Chief Commissioner of Bharat Scouts and Guides P G R Sindhia said that Department of Information Technology and Biotechnology had agreed to upgrade 10 district scouts and guides training centres in the State into training-cum-science and environment centres.

Speaking at a workshop for the teachers of Scouts and Guides in the city on Monday, he said that this was an attempt to develop scientific temperament and commitment towards environment among students through Scouting and Guiding activities.

The Scouts and Guides Training Centre in Pilikula has been selected to conduct examinations for Rajya Puraskar of the Scouts and Guides from this academic year. All efforts will be made to upgrade the centre for the examinations, he added.

He said that the organisation had set a target to increase its membership to 10 lakh in the next three years. The Scouts and Guides also aims to plant one lakh saplings in the State in a move to protect environment.

He expressed confidence that State government would hike the honorarium of the teachers of the Scouts and Guides by Rs 500.

“The Dakshina Kannada district has come forward to host Jamboree, a national-level Scouts and Guides mela. The decision on the same will be taken after meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is the Chief of State Bharat Scouts and Guides, on August 24,” he said.

The Social Welfare minister has directed all the residential schools including Morarji Desai Schools to start Scouts and Guides wing, Sindhia added. 

Stating that the Scouts and Guides helps children to imbibe discipline, develop character, compassion, love and trust, he said that today's society was moneycentric.

Everybody is running after money. In such a scenario, there is a need to build a society on love, trust and compassion, Sindhia said.

Bharath Scouts and Guides district Commissioner N G Mohan said that to create awareness among parents and guardians on the Scouts and Guides movement, an appeal form would be sent to the houses of three lakh students in the Dakshina Kannada district through education department. The parents are not aware of the reservation provided for the Scouts and Guides in railways, and in the institutions of higher education, he said.

A total of 37,500 students have enrolled for the Scouts and Guides in the district. This has to be increased to one lakh in the next three years, Mohan said.

The Scouts and Guides from the district have won highest number of Rajya Puraskar and Rashtrapathi Puraskar in the State. The district Scouts and Guides will plant 200 saplings in and around the Scouts and Guides Centre in Pilikula.