7 BJP-Led States Announce Reservation In Govt Services, Police Jobs For Agniveers After Oppn Criticism

Seven Bharatiya Janata Party-led states including Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh have announced that their respective governments will provide reservation to retired Agniveers in government jobs and recruitments in police and other forces.

These announcements came on the day when the country celebrated 25 years of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War.

The Opposition bloc, especially Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been vocal about his objections against the Agnipath Scheme and claimed that the Agniveers were being deprived of proper respect compared to how Indian soldiers are treated in India.

He also had spoken about one such Agniveer who lost his life on the field and claimed that his family did not receive the money that the government had promised.

Who Are Agniveers And What Is Agnipath Scheme?

Agniveers are jawans selected for four years under a short term recruitment scheme called Agnipath, which was rolled out by the Union government to enable a youthful profile for the country's armed forces.

The central government introduced the Agnipath recruitment scheme in 2022 with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services.

The scheme provides for recruiting as Agniveers youngsters between the age group of 17-and-a-half and 21 years for a block period of four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for another 15 years.

Gujarat

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday said his government will give priority to Agniveers in the recruitment for armed police as well as the State Reserve Police Force (SRP).

In a post on X, Patel said, "The misinformation being spread by the opposition regarding the scheme is both absurd and condemnable. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many new reforms are taking place in the Indian Army and internal security system. Agnipath scheme is also one such initiative."

"The Indian Army will become more youthful because of Agniveer. This scheme will prepare such brave youth in the country, who after their service in the army, will make an invaluable contribution in strengthening the security of our country. The Gujarat government will give priority to Agniveers in the recruitment of armed police and SRP," he added.

Odisha

The Odisha government on Friday announced a 10 per cent quota and five years of age relaxation for Agniveers in the state's uninformed services.

"Our soldiers are our pride. Agniveers, who are trained by our defence forces, are qualified to serve the nation in various security-related sectors," he said.

"The Agniveer scheme is a historic initiative launched by PM Narendra Modi. This initiative has made our youth able and fearless so that they can face various challenges in life. That is why the Odisha government has decided to recruit Agniveers in the state's uniformed services," he added.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday that the Agniveers who return after serving the country will be given weightage in UP Police and PAC force.

"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. We will get trained and disciplined youth as Agniveers. Our government is fully committed to this," Adityanath said.

Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said the state government would provide reservations for Agniveers in recruitments for police constables and forest guards, among other posts.

Talking to reporters on the state assembly premises, Sai said Agniveers from Chhattisgarh would be given priority while recruiting police constables and forest and jail guards once they complete their service in the Indian Army.

The state government will soon issue necessary guidelines to provide a fixed reservation to Agniveers, he said.

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said his government will provide quota to Agniveers in police and armed forces recruitment.

"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.

Uttarakhand

Agniveers will be granted reservation in government jobs in Uttarakhand upon their return after serving in the armed forces, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced on Friday, as the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

"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.

The chief minister also announced that the aid extended to the kin of martyrs will be increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 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 added.

Arunachal Pradesh

The Arunachal Pradesh government will facilitate training for local youths to prepare them for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme while retired Agniveers will be given preference during recruitment for the state's police, emergency and fire services, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has announced.

Khandu said this transformative initiative would enable the youngsters of Arunachal Pradesh to serve the country.

"The government of Arunachal Pradesh will facilitate training for local youths to prepare them for recruitment as Agniveers under the AGNIPATH scheme," the chief minister said in a post on X.

"Additionally, retired Agniveers from Arunachal Pradesh will be given preference in recruitment for the Arunachal Pradesh Police, AP Battalions, and Emergency and Fire Services," he added.

The Haryana government also announced a 10 per cent reservation for Agniveers in the recruitment of constables, forest guards and jail wardens, along with quotas in other posts earlier this week.

BJP leader and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also said that in the recruitment for civil posts in Group B and Group C, the government has decided to grant Agniveers a relaxation of three years in the upper age limit. "However, for the first batch of Agniveers, this age relaxation will be five years," he added.

Saini said his government will also provide Agniveers five per cent reservation in direct recruitments for civil posts in Group C and one per cent in Group B.

"If any industrial unit employs an Agniveer at a salary of more than Rs 30,000 per month, then our government will give that unit an annual subsidy of Rs 60,000," he said.

Saini also announced that if an Agniveer takes a loan of up to Rs 5 lakh to start a business, no interest will be charged on it.

(With PTI inputs)