On Kargil Vijay Diwas, 5 BJP-ruled states announce job quotas for Agniveers
The announcements were made by the governments of Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
Five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states on Friday announced reservations for Agniveers in recruitment for state government jobs.
The reservation will be provided in jobs to Agniveers after they return from serving the Armed forces.
The announcements were made by the governments of Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
The announcement also comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended the Agnipath scheme amid fresh calls for scrapping the military recruitment plan that cuts tenure and offers fewer service benefits, saying it aims to rejuvenate the armed forces and keep them continually fit for war.
Modi, during an address at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, targeted the Opposition for its criticism of the Agnipath scheme and accused them of attempting to weaken the Army. “This shows that they do not care about the soldiers,” the prime minister said.
In response, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, accused the prime minister of doing ‘petty politics’ on Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kharge further said that the prime minister's claim that his government implemented the Agnipath scheme at the behest of the Army “is a blatant lie” and an “unforgivable insult to our valiant Armed Forces”.
Announced in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme recruits personnel to the Indian armed forces for a short period of four years. At the end of four years, up to 25% of recruits, called Agniveers, join the services on a permanent commission (15 more years) subject to merit and other requirements.
Here's what the states have announced for Agniveers:
Uttarakhand
As the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the Kargil war victory, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that Agniveers will be granted reservation in government jobs in the state upon their return after serving in the armed forces.
"We will make provisions and bring an Act to give reservation to them in government services. We are working on this plan. We will make use of their skills and discipline in various government departments," he said, according to PTI.
The chief minister also announced that the aid extended to the kin of martyrs will be increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. "No sacrifice can be bigger than the act of laying down one's life to secure the country's borders. No grant or honour can be enough for this supreme sacrifice," he pointed out.
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav said that his government will provide quota to Agniveers in police and armed forces recruitment.
He also said that the step has been taken as per the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"As per the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MP government has decided to give reservation to Agniveers in police and armed forces. The Agniveer scheme is in the real sense an attempt to not only modernize the armed forces and to recruit capable jawans but also to make it young at the global level," Yadav told reporters, according to PTI.
"We will walk in tandem with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feelings on the issue," he added.
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai also said the state government will provide reservations for Agniveers in recruitments for police constables and forest guards, among other posts once they complete their service in the armed forces.
He further added that the state government will soon issue the necessary guidelines to provide a fixed reservation to Agniveers, according to PTI.
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also announced that Agniveers, after serving the country, will be given weightage in recruitment for the UP Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) forces.
He said that the country would benefit from having trained and disciplined young soldiers in the form of Agniveers.
“The UP government has also said as the Agniveer scheme progresses and when these youth return after their service, we will provide facility and weightage for their adjustment in UP Police and PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) force,” the UP CM said, reported PTI.
"We will get trained and disciplined youth as Agniveers. Our government is fully committed to this," Adityanath said.
Odisha
The BJP government in Odisha also announced a 10% quota and five-year age relaxation for Agniveers in uniform services.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi said that his government would soon bring a legislation to extend the reservation.
"All the soldiers who have joined the Indian Army are our pride and glory. After getting trained in the tri-services, the Agniveers have qualified to play important roles in various state's security forces. The Agniveer Yojana is a landmark scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has helped to make the youth of the country competent, able and courageous. The scheme has an important role in building a youth that is ready to accept challenges in all spheres of life," he said.
Earlier, the BJP government in Haryana had also announced similar job quota for Agniveers on July 17.