The Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani announced that Agniveers who wish to continue their service after the four-year tenure can extend it by two more years, and will receive higher salaries and an increased exit package.
The Agnipath scheme, introduced on June 14, 2022, has been a subject of protest due to demands for permanent recruitment with pension benefits. However, Subramani announced that around 75% of Agniveers who are not enrolled in the armed forces permanently after their four-year tenure will be given an option to extend their service by two more years.
Agniveers, recruited under the Agnipath scheme, serve a tenure of four years initially. After this six years of service, Agniveers will get another opportunity to join the armed forces as regular soldiers, provided they meet the prescribed criteria, said Subramani.
The first batch of Agniveers is expected to complete their four-year tenure in December 2022. This extension will allow those Agniveers, who meet the prescribed criteria, another chance to join the armed forces as regular soldiers. It's important to note that this decision comes as around 18,000 Agniveers from the first batch are expected to complete their term in December.
Against this backdrop, it's worth mentioning that an Agniveer died in Operation Sindoor. A year later, his parents are still fighting for pension, reports Anant Gupta.
Source:
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