CM calls on Student Police Cadets to continue fight against drug abuse
Lauding the role played by SPC cadets in the State government's anti-drug campaign, the Chief Minister reminded the cadets that the fight against drug abuse should not be limited to any specific period. He said that SPC cadets should always be remembered as ambassadors of the war against drug abuse, and the cadets are the eyes and ears of the State government's anti-drug activities centered on schools.
The Student Police Cadet programe, which was started in Kozhikode district on August 2, 2010, has been able to gain the complete trust and support of the Kerala society over the years. The SPC program has now completed 15 years since its inception and has achieved much recognition both nationally and internationally as the biggest youth initiative in school level in the country and the first organisation to function with gender equality.
It is a matter of pride that most of the States in India are following our own project, SPC, he said. When this government came to power in 2016, it was only in 431 schools. This academic year, including the start of SPC in 70 new schools, the project is now running in 1,048 schools. About one lakh student police cadets, more than 2000 teachers, more than 3000 police officers and about two lakh former cadets are now part of the project.
Through extensive social work, SPC cadets have also paved the way for exemplary changes in the society. The SPC has provided all possible assistance to the rehabilitation of disaster victims during the floods, the period of pandemics like COVID-19, and the Chooralmala disaster that occurred a year ago. The SPC has also undertaken activities to impart knowledge and literacy to children from marginalised tribal communities.
During the COVID period, a Kuttipallikkudam was established for the education of children in tribal areas and TVs, newspapers, and study materials were provided to the children there. Cadets of Vithura Government Higher Secondary School undertook this activity. Today, this project is being adopted as a model by many SPC units. In addition, SPC cadets have also taken the lead in providing houses to their classmates.
The Chief Minister released an e-magazine containing information about SPC's social welfare activities at the function and cut a cake with the cadets. State Police Chief Ravada Azad Chandrashekhar, Armed Police Battalion ADGP M.R, Ajithkumar, Police Headquarters ADGP S. Sreejith, Law and Order ADGP H. Venkatesh, Intelligence ADGP P. Vijayan, Thiruvananthapuram Range DIG and Student Police Cadet Project State Nodal Officer Ajeetha Begum and senior police officers were present at the function.
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