Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh with three Army Chiefs General Manoj Pandey (Army), Air Chief Marshal VR Choudhary and Admiral R Hari Kumar (Navy) during a press conference at National Media Centre, New Delhi, Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
Opposition to Agneepath: The protest against the newly announced Agneepath scheme has started across the country. Several states came forward in support of the scheme by declaring benefits to ‘Agnivar’.
Let us see how the Center and the states plan to reassure the youth about their future when their time in the Armed Forces ends.
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath assured the youth that they will get top priority for police and allied forces jobs on successful completion of their tenure. “@UPGovt assures that ‘Agnivar’ will be given priority for accommodation in police and police allied forces after their service,” he said on Twitter.
Karnataka
Similarly, soldiers recruited under the scheme will be given priority for jobs in police services in the state, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra informed the people.
Read also | Agneepath Scheme: Recruitment process will start in 2 days amid nationwide protests, Army announced
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that ‘Agnivars’, who returned after a four-year stint with the armed forces, would be given jobs in the police and disaster management departments to make use of their discipline, skills and military training.
Arunachal Pradesh
Chief Minister Pema Khandu assured that soldiers who complete their tenure in the armed forces will get priority in state government jobs as well as police jobs.
Assam
CM Himanta Biswas Sarma assured that ‘Agnivar’ will be given priority in the Assam Arogya Nidhi initiative. He said, “Whoever will come out of Agneepath and if he is a resident of Assam, he will be given a job in the state police. We will be in a position to accommodate all Assam Police and battalions.”
Haryana
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that youth recruited in the armed forces under the Centre’s “Agneepath” scheme will be given preference in government jobs in Haryana. He said, “The youth of the state have the zeal to serve the country and this is the reason that Haryana has the highest number of youths serving in the army.”
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that soldiers recruited under Agneepath scheme will be given preference in police recruitment in the state. “I heartily thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching this scheme. Indian Army is the pride of the country and the countrymen. The jawans are our heroes and role models. The ‘Agneepath’ scheme will connect the youth to the Indian Army and ensure the security of the country’s borders and strengthen its unity and integrity.”
What is Agneepath Scheme?
The government launched the Agneepath scheme under which youth in the age group of 17-and-a-half to 21 years would be inducted for a four-year term, while 25 per cent of them would be inducted for regular service later.
The youth to be recruited under the new scheme will be called ‘Agniveer’. The main objective of this scheme is to reduce the average age of military personnel and cut down on rising salary and pension bills.
The announcement of the new scheme comes in the backdrop of Army recruitment being stalled for more than two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read also | Agneepath picketing: Around a dozen BJP leaders from Bihar get Y-level security
Read also | Agneepath controversy: Bihar halts train service from 8 pm tonight amid violent protests