Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh launched the nation-wide Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme on Saturday along with about 7,000 school students across the country in Gurugram.

The programme seeks to build a bridge between police and the larger community through school students by inculcating values and ethics, discipline, fight against corruption, fight against social evils and the safety of women and children in them through classes in schools and outside.

The programme, designed for students of Classes 8 and 9, will be enrolled by State Governments. The programme started with an aim at making students a better citizen.

SPC programme will be first implemented in Government schools in both urban and rural areas in the country. A sum of Rs 67 crore had been released to the States for implementation of the programme. An amount of Rs 50,000 would be given to each school to be spent on educational aids, training and contingency. It would be carried out on a pilot basis in all states and Union Territories.

While addressing the students at the national rollout of SPC programme, the Union Home Minister said, “The objective of the programme is to instill values in students and to make them responsible, disciplined, virtuous and future citizens with character, besides starting strong interface between students and police.”

Describing children as future of the nation, he urged the cadets to participate with utmost dedication in SPC programme so as to make a new, prosperous and strong nation.

Referring to the ill-effects of rapid modernisation and airing of  incidents on TV and social media on daily basis, he said such incidents have a negative impact on the entire society. “We have to impart moral education with a focus on character building both at home and school,” he said.

Speaking on this occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal described the SPC programme as a ‘milestone’ in building a progressive society. “Priority would be given to SPC Cadets in the Haryana Police recruitment drive in future. Around 6,000 posts would soon be filled up in police department.

“The quality of working of police will be further improved with the induction of these cadets in the police department. The programme would develop a sense of discipline and sensitivity among students which would make them a responsible citizen,” the CM, said.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Parkash Javdekar, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ganga Ram Ahir, Commissioner of police Gurugram KK Rao, Deputy Commissioner Gurugram Vinay Pratap Singh, and other prominent dignitaries were also present on this occasion.