Approved in 2022, the Agniveer scheme entails recruitment to the rank and file for a four-year period, including basic training, out of which 25 per cent would be absorbed into the permanent cadre and the rest would be released from service

Vijay Mohan

With the four-year term of the first batch of Agniveers scheduled to be over by the end of this year, the Punjab Government has started the ground work for the post-release rehabilitation of soldiers belonging to the state.

“We have had a few rounds of discussions at the secretary level for formulating various rehabilitation schemes and fixing reservations in some state government departments, but formal proposals in this regard for consideration at the apex level are yet to be formulated,” a senior state government officer said.

Among the possibilities being discussed are reservations for Agniveers in the Punjab Police and earmarking some posts in other departments such as civil defence, fire services, mining, pollution control and forests. Also being mulled are schemes, assistance and incentives to empower Agniveers for suitable employment in the industry or starting their own ventures.

Speaking at Defence Skills Conclave organised by the Punjab Government in Chandigarh recently, the Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh had said that Punjab, with its strong military tradition can take the lead in tapping the skills of Agniveers by offering them institutional pathways to transition into the defence manufacturing ecosystem as supervisors, equipment maintainers or entrepreneurs.

He had said that the Agniveer scheme provides an opportunity of harnessing a skilled manpower which is already disciplined and trained through a skilled certification framework to ensure that their certified training leads into civilian qualifications recognised under National Skills Qualification Framework, which can seamlessly turn towards our defence industry.

Approved in 2022, the Agniveer scheme entails recruitment to the rank and file for a four-year period, including basic training, out of which 25 per cent would be absorbed into the permanent cadre and the rest would be released from service. The Indian Air Force (IAF) initiated training of the first batch in December 30, 2022, followed by the Indian Army and Navy in January 2023.

Punjab Government officials said that some states, including neighbouring Haryana, have already announced schemes for the rehabilitation of Agniveers. Different Central Government ministries have also created a quota for Agniveers in the Central Armed Police Forces and other establishments, besides introducing skill development programmes and enabling qualification certification. Given that less than a year is left for the release of the first batch, Punjab already has a 13 per cent reservation for ex-servicemen in some departments, but this was meant for the regular soldiers who were released on completion of their colour service after serving for at least 15 years. Sources said that many of this quota also remains unfilled by ex-servicemen due to various eligibility and administrative issues.

Punjab is the second largest contributor of manpower to the Armed Forces after Uttar Pradesh, and in fact, recruitment from the state is more than its prescribed quota, sources said. Vacancies allotted to other states that remain unutilised are filled by candidates from Punjab.