Himachal Pradesh observed the World Red Cross Day today by taking out processions and organizing various functions at different places to sensitize the society about the importance of the Red Cross. State level function is organized at the official residence of the Chief Minister, Oakover, here today.
Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal made an appeal to all the sections of the society to come forward with liberal donations towards the Red Cross Fund which is being utilized to extend financial assistance to poorest of the poor and deserving sections of the society in the hour of distress. He said that such donations would be a real service towards the suffering humanity in the hour of need and to help them live a healthy and reasonably comfortable life. He said that people also needed to participate in all Red Cross activities as also generate income to the organization so that more people could be helped under its different programmes. He said that every district had been organizing District Level Red Cross Fair to generate income so that the facilities could be made available to more deserving people. He appealed to the people to make Red Cross a mass movement so that everybody could know about its activities and actively involve themselves in its different activities.
Chief Minister said that Red Cross happens to be a global NGO which was constituted during the World War to extend emergency medical services to the wounded soldiers and civilians and thereafter it emerged a strong organization which had now been dispersed to every nook and corner of the world and Himachal Pradesh too had its branches down to the district level. He said that Red Cross Societies had been contributing significantly towards the health care needs of the people and various health awareness and care camps were being organized at different places by the societies all round the year. He said that the State Government was committed to give further boost to Red Cross activities and strengthen the same so that more people could reap the benefits out of its activities. He said that State had branches of the society at district level which had been extending health care services through its various activities to the people of the respective districts.
