The Centre’s newly launched military scheme led to violent protests across the country — from Bihar to Gurugram — as protestors demanded rollback of the recruitment scheme.
(Representational pic/Shutterstock)
The chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force are likely to meet PM Narendra Modi separately
Amid countrywide protests against the Centre’s new Agnipath military recruitment scheme, the three chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force are likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.
YEARSquoting government sources, reported that the three service chiefs will meet the prime minister separately and brief him on the Agnipath scheme, which was unveiled on June 14.
The scheme was announced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on June 14 in the presence of the three service chiefs. “The scheme will increase employment opportunities and aim to create a youthful profile of the armed forces. The ‘Agniveers‘ will be given a good pay package and an exit retirement package after four years of service,” Rajnath Singh had said at a press conference during the launch.
The scheme provides for the recruitment of youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years to 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022.
The Defence Ministry on Sunday refused to roll back the scheme and asserted that henceforth the recruitment to the armed forces will be through the Agnipath scheme only. It also clarified that the ‘Agniveers’ – as they would be known – would get the same allowance in areas like Siachen and other areas that are applicable to the regular soldiers serving at present and a compensation of Rs 1 crore will also be disbursed if the personnel is martyred.
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