Coast Guard should focus on facilitating greater role of women: Parrikar

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday pointed out that the Indian Coast Guard needs to focus on facilitating greater role of women in the organisation.

"One of the areas that service would need to focus would be to facilitate greater role of women in the organisation. I am aware that women constitute 10% of the total strength of the officers in the coast guard," Parrikar said in his address at the Indian Coast Guard investiture ceremony.

"It is heartening to know that the women officers have been employed as pilots and observers on Coast Guard aircraft," he added.

Parrikar praised the services for taking first step towards progressive employment of women by training the first batch of the women officers in operating Coast Guard hovercrafts.

 

"This is a significant step towards the national objective of empowerment of women and realization of their potential in overall growth, progress and well-being of the country," he added.

The Defence Minister said that the Coast Guard is a young service, which will grow in leaps and bounds in the years to come.

"The significant scale of expansion in coming years is bound to play important role in all pillars of the organisation," he added.

Parrikar further said the human elements will play a critical role in ensuring a well rounded service that is able to keep pace with the developing scenario.

The Defence Minister awarded gallantry awards to Coast Guard personnel on the occasion.