Defence Ministry to encourage wearing armed forces flag

Aimed at collecting more Armed Forces Flag Day fund this year, the Defence Ministry is planning to launch a social media campaign to encourage people to wear armed forces flag, a informed ministry sources said on Tuesday.

The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on December 7 every year since 1949, and is a day dedicated towards collection of funds from people for the welfare of the Indian armed forces personnel.

Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the soldiers, airmen and sailors of India.

This year, from December 1 to 7, there will be a wide digital campaign spread across Twitter, Facebook and other social networking websites, encouraging people to wear the armed forces flag with pride to show their support and express solidarity with the military, according to the source.

He said the aim of the digital campaign was to compliment the on-ground efforts for mobilising public for contribution to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund that would be used to support disabled ex-servicemen, war widows, children of martyrs and other such beneficiaries.

The source said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had taken up the campaign as a priority.A

For the first time, digital wallets are set to be used for collecting this fund.

The contributions can be made by using UPI code armedforcesflagdayfund@sbi and PayTM number 8800462175, in addition to the net banking method available on the website of Kendriya Sainik Board Secretariat.

--IANS

ao/nir