Department of Military Affairs Additional Secretary Lt. General Anil Puri addresses a press conference regarding the Central governments Agnipath scheme, at South Block, Ministry of Defence, in New Delhi.
Highlights
- The youths to be recruited under the new scheme would be called 'Agniveer'
- Lt Gen said major reform to bring down age profile brought after years of deliberations
- He added that even a high-level committee on the 1999 Kargil War had made suggestions on it
Agnipath scheme: Agniveers' will get a compensation for Rs 1 crore if he sacrifices his life in service of the nation, Lt General Anil Puri, the additional secretary in the Department of Military Affairs said in a presser on Sunday while explaining the new recruitment scheme along with other defence personnel.
The 'Agniveers' would get the same allowance in areas like Siachen and other areas which are applicable to the regular soldiers serving at present. No discrimination against them in service conditions, Lt General Anil Puri further said.
Ruling out the rollback of the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme despite widespread protests, the three services of the military on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the new policy and asserted that it was aimed at bringing down the age profile of the armed forces.
Lt Gen Anil Puri said that the supportive measures announced in the last few days for the Agniveers were not because of the protests and arson, and the government was already working on them.
He said the youths who were involved in arson and violence while protesting the scheme will not be able to join the three services as a police verification process will be carried out before enrolling anyone.
"There is no space for indiscipline in the armed forces. There is no space for arson and violence. All those who want to become a part of the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme will have to give a certificate that they were not part of any arson," he said.
To a question on whether the government was reviewing or rolling back the scheme because of the protests, Lt Gen Puri said, "No, why should there be a rollback?"
The tri-services media briefing at the Defence Ministry took place hours after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force on Sunday for the second straight day.
(With inputs from PTI)
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