Time for Armed Forces to rise to the occasion: CDS Rawat avers support to COVID-19 battle

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat on Tuesday issued a statement averring the support of the Armed Forces to the nation's COVID-19 battle. Asserting that the forces were ready to rise to the occasion to support the civil administration, General Rawat stated that the men and women in uniform will walk the extra mile to help India tide over the health crisis. 

"This is the time for the Armed Forces to rise to the occasion and support the civil administration in creating COVID mitigation facilities in a time-bound manner. Timely support at this juncture is important. Our men and women in uniform have the will and dedication to break barriers and walk the extra mile, always and every time.  We can and we will. We still have long distances to travel," said General Bipin Rawat. 

PM Modi & CDS hold review meeting

The statement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the preparations by Armed Forces to assist in India in its COVID-19 management in a meeting called by the CDS. As per an official release of the Centre, during the meeting, General Bipin Rawat briefed the PM that all medical personnel from armed forces who have retired or taken pre-mature retirement in the last 2 years are being recalled to work in COVID facilities within proximity of their present place of residence. Other medical officers who retired earlier have also been requested to make their services available for consultation through medical emergency helplines.

"The CDS also said that they are creating medical facilities in large numbers and where possible military medical infrastructure will be made available to civilians," the release said. 

India reported 3,23,144 fresh cases of Coronavirus on Tuesday which took the total tally of cases in India to 1,76,36,307. As of April 27, there are 28,82,204 active cases in the country which has witnessed 2,51,827 recoveries and 2,771 deaths in the last 24 hours.