AGARTALA, April 11 (TIWN): On the occasion of golden jubilee celebration of 159th battalion Border Security Force (BSF), a blood donation camp was organized at Panisagar campus here on Friday.

Over 100 units of blood were collected from the camp which was donated by the troops to Blood Bank Dharmanagar. D K Sharma, Dy. Inspector General, Panisagar who himself donated blood along with commandant of 159 Bn BSF briefed the media personnel on the venue. To mark the golden jubilee year, a series of activities are being organized by BSF across the country. The blood donation by the troops is one such event and a small initiative towards nation Building.

The Border Security Force is not only defending the border of the Nation but actively participating in the programme for betterment of border population and this blood donation camp was one of the programme organized in the series of the activities.

According to National Aids Control Organization, only five states in India have the distinction of over 80% blood collection through voluntary donation against the national average of 55 to 60%. The states are Tripura, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Punjab and Maharashtra.

According to statistics, the state has collected 22,890 units and 24,035 units in two years- 2010 and 2011 respectively. In fact, 96 percent of the blood is being collected through voluntary blood donation camps.