About Agneeveer

Agni Veer Concepts and Points

 

1. Indian Army is volunteer Army: This Agniveer is not part of compulsory military training like many countries e.g. Israel, Japan, Singapore, Germany, China, Russia and USA etc. So if any one does not like the concept and the condition of this job, need not join the job.

2. Army is not an Employment agency for Unemployed youth. Army is not a job and it is beyond the call of normal duty. There are strict set of rules for joining army e.g. height, weight, chest, eye sight, physical capabilities and aptitude. If any one does not fulfill the criterion then they will not be eligible to get admission in the defence forces. If sufficient numbers of people are not available, then there will be vacant seats/ positions.

3. Pension is Not given anywhere in the world after only 4 year of service. So opposition party’s arguments of pension to Agniveers are not justifiable. Only in India MLAs and MPs are eligible for life time pension after only 5 years of serving in Assembly and in Parliament. All political parties should set a proposal of withdrawing this pension for MLAs and MPs.

4. Better promotional aspect for permanent Jawans. As we know Army has very steep promotional prospects, there are many Jawans who got only one promotion in entire life of 18-20 years of service. In a Section of 10 men, one commander as Naik. 3 sections make one Platoon, A havildar as Commander. So out of 30 men one is likely to be attaining the rank of Havildar. Most of the Jawans retire from Army as Nk or Hav. As there will be only 25% people retained in the army, there will be better promotional prospects of Jawans. Most of these Jawans will retire as Havildars or JCOs.

5. Time tested procedure of Short Service Commissioned officers (SSC): Emergency Service officers were inducted in the Army from 1963 onwards, after China debacle in 1962. In 1967-68 they were relieved without any substantive benefits. Then Started “Short Service Commission Officers” (SSC). There are separate training institute in Chennai for training of these officers. All Indian Defence Lady officers those who were inducted in last 20 years are also trained in this institutes. Earlier they were released after 5 years and now they serve up to 10 years, without any substantive benefits like Pension, Medical facilities, and canteen befits. There were no problems about the recruitment of these officers and no political parties had ever concerned about these category of officers. This Agniveers are a kind of “Short Service commissioned Jawans”. It is not a new concept.

6. Multiple exit and entry points in the defence forces. After joining army there are many people who became disheartened and subsequently became disgruntle. They wanted to leave army due to many domestic problems also. Earlier the permanent Jawans were not permitted to leave the army. Now there will be option of leaving the Army after 4 years. In private company y or in software industry people do not want to continue in any organization after 3 to 4 years.

7. Pension was stopped in WB in 2004 during Communist power era. Neither Congress nor TMC were in any agitation against these steps. No burning of Tram, Bus, Train by them. IN 2011 after TMC came to power they did not started this pension. So why cry now for nonexistence scheme of people.

8. No terrorist recruitment of retired Army personnel. Every year there are 40K to 50K people retiring from the Army. No one of these fire arm experts join the terrorist group or became active member of RSS or join BJP in amass for vote looting and hooligans. WB chief minister’s comment is undesirable.

9. Vast pool of trained reserve in case of Emergency. In fact these 75% trained Agniveers are reserve Indian Army forces in case any emergency come in the future. They can be well utilized by state Govt for Disaster Management group or in any suitable jobs. 

10. Job preferences/ Quotas for these early retired Agniveers. Para military forces under Home Ministries like Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Assam Rifles, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) , General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF)/ (Border Roads), National Security Guards (NSG), Special Protection Group (SPG),  Sashastra Seema Bal. (SSB).

11. It is not a hasty decision. First this scheme was mooted by the Army expert committee in 1984. It has been strengthen after Sri Lanka war and again after Kargil war and then continuous harping by the Army. But subsequent Govt had not taken any steps. My coursemate Gen Bipin Rawat expressed this scheme in our course WhatsApp group. So it’s a deliberate decision, not sudden “off the cuff” decision.

12. 6 Months training is sufficient. In WWII men were sent from Khadki (near Pune) and from Barrackpore (WB) after 4 weeks to 4 months training to actual war in Burma Campaign. So in my opinion 6 months training is sufficient for Indian Army in peace time.

13. Generation Z or Millenniums are preferred: Those who are born with Smart phone and computers in Hand after 2000AD are boon for highly technical and sophisticated war situation presently in the Indian Defence forces.
    15.    A very good financial package at an early age. No Indian company can pay just Higher Secondary passed men, with a financial package as suggested by Agniveer scheme. Getting Rs. 11.75 lakhs is extremely attractive for these young people in their early 20s.

14. Death Insurance and Disability pension is at same rate as Permanent soldiers. Including leave, medical, canteen and travel allowances. They will be given high altitude, Siachen, Jungle and submarine allowances while they serve the defence forces. Dis-ability pays as per existing percentage of disability.

15. Reservation in State for Agniveers: WB chief Minister’s announcement in the assembly for special reservation of these Agniveers is very positive steps.