Addressing serving and retired servicemen and their families at the Raj Bhavan here on the occasion of the Armed Forces Flag Day, Patnaik said all efforts must be made to meet requirments of the forces and the men in uniform.
"The armed forces are an asset to any nation... Without safety and security, there can be no development," he told the gathering.
Patnaik said the armed forces of our country have played a major role in fostering the spirit of unity and togetherness.
The Governor said there "is no reason to brood" over the partition of the country which took place at the time of Independence.
"At the same time, we should be prepared for any eventuality that comes our way. We should be eternally vigilant and we should think of possible sources of danger and take steps to prepare and face them," he added.
Terming welfare of serving and retired armed forces personnel and their families as paramount, the Governor said that various initiatives have been taken by means of the Sainik Welfare scheme in Assam also.
