New 'Agnipath' scheme introduced in military recruitment

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday unveiled a new scheme called "Agnipath" to recruit soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force with the aim of cutting ballooning salaries and pension bills.

The new scheme was announced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced after the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, and will largely be on a short-term contractual basis.

"The Agnipath recruitment scheme is a transformative initiative that will provide a youthful profile to the armed forces," Singh said.

Revolutionary changes in the recruitment process will initially include soldiers for four years after which some of them would be retained.

"Under the Agnipath scheme, Indian youngsters will be provided an opportunity to serve in the armed forces as 'Agniveer'," the defence minister said.

According to the Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, the armed forces would see a wide range of talents for recruitment under this scheme. The "Agnipath" project, formerly known as the "Tour of Duty", was launched in the presence of three army chiefs.

This new plan was announced after comprehensive discussions over the past two years. Soldiers recruited under the scheme will be called "Agniveer".

Currently, under the short service commission, the army recruits young people for 10 years, which can be extended up to 14 years.

The plan aims to put a check on the increasing salary and pension bills of all three services.

Of the Rs 5,25,166 crore allotted for the defense budget for 2022-23 includes Rs 1,19,696 crore for defense pensions. 2,33,000 crore has been earmarked for revenue expenditure. Revenue expenses include expenses incurred for salaries and maintenance of institutions.

Source - PTI