As part of its civic outreach efforts, the Assam Rifles on Saturday flagged off a National Integration Tour from Kadamtala in Manipur’s Jiribam district under the Civic Action Programme.
Defence spokesperson Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said the tour includes 17 participants — 15 women and two men — belonging to the Jiri Ima Meira Paibi Apunba Lup (JIMPAL), a prominent women’s organisation in Jiribam. The organisation actively works for community welfare, addresses social issues, and advocates for the interests of local residents.
Lt Col Rawat said the participants were warmly welcomed at Kadamtala for the flag-off ceremony as they embarked on a journey to explore India’s rich cultural heritage and historical legacy. They were presented with customised blazers for the tour, followed by an interaction session and a group photograph.
The event concluded with the formal flagging off of the tour by the Commandant of Assam Rifles’ Srikona Battalion, Col Prasant Singh Chundawat.
The participants were encouraged to act as ambassadors of their community by sharing their experiences after returning and contributing to the promotion of harmony and national integration in the region.
The 10-day itinerary includes visits to Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Shillong, where the group will tour historically significant monuments and major tourist attractions.
The Assam Rifles regularly organises National Integration Tours for people from the Northeastern states to promote national unity, broaden perspectives and foster a sense of national pride.
Meanwhile, the Army has also organised an 11-day educational exposure tour to West Bengal for college students from border areas of Arunachal Pradesh to promote practical learning in the eco-tourism sector and develop livelihood-oriented skills.
Lt Col Rawat said the eco-tourism exposure tour is being conducted under ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ with the sponsorship of local military authorities. The initiative aims to enhance practical learning and employment-focused skills among youth and students from border regions.
A group of 30 students from NEFTU College in Aalo, West Siang district, along with two faculty members, was flagged off from Aalo on January 5 for an educational tour to the hill destinations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal.
— IANS
