New Delhi: Amid the ongoing political row over the Agnipath scheme for Armed Forces, the Central government has implemented a significant proposal.
Retired Agniveers will be offered jobs in the Central police forces — Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) — with 10 per cent of the positions being reserved for them, CISF Director General Neena Singh confirmed.
Former Agniveers who wish to apply for these positions will be exempt from the physical test.
All preparations are in place to implement reservation for ex-Agniveers, which was announced by the Union Home Ministry earlier, said Neena.
“10% of vacancies in constables will be reserved for ex-agencies. Additionally, they will be given relaxation in the Physical Efficiency Test,” said the CISF DG.
RPF Director General Manoj Yadava stated: “In the future, all recruitment for the constable post in the Railway Protection Force will have a 10% reservation for ex-agencies. RPF is very excited to welcome former Agniveers. It will give new strength and energy and boost the morale of the force.”
Agnipath scheme, which was rolled out in June 2022, provides for the recruitment of youth between 17-and-a-half and 21 years of age for four years, with a provision to retain 25% of them for 15 more years in the Indian Armed Forces. Later, the Union government extended the upper age limit to 23 years.
Opposition parties have criticised the scheme, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the Centre of treating Agniveers as “use-and-throw labourers.”
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha was the target of BJP’s attack after claiming martyred Agniveer Ajay Kumar’s family did not receive compensation from the government.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged Rahul not to mislead the Parliament, adding that an Agniveer who lays down his life in the line of duty gets a compensation of Rs 1 crore.
Indian Army issued a statement saying that the family of the Agniveer would receive financial assistance of Rs 1.65 crore, of which Rs 98.39 lakh had already been paid.
