'Agnipath scheme will not be rolled back,' clear Tri-Services in mega briefing amid row

Post-meeting of the Defence Minister with the chiefs of Army, Navy & Air Force on Agnipath recruitment scheme, a mega Tri-Services briefing was held on Sunday. In the briefing, chaired by  Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secy, Dept of Military Affairs, it was made clear that the scheme was long-pending. Lt Gen Anil Puri highlighted that the first statement with regards to it was made in 1989, post the Kargil war. However, Lt Gen Anil Puri admitted that it required changes in a lot of areas, including the change in the age of the Commanding Officer and the narrowing down of the tooth-to-tail ratio. 

Pointing out that by 2030, 50% of the population would be below the age of 25, the Department of Military Affairs' Additional Secretary asked," Is it right that the defence that protects the country has 32 years as the average age?  We only have one aim-- somehow we bring the youth into the system. This was studied in the past two years by the 3 chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff General (Bipin) Rawat. We studied, the foreign countries, and we saw that almost all the nations, firstly, had an average age of 26, 27, and 28. Secondly, they had four to five different ways of recruitment."

Why the youth?

Lt Gen Anil Puri also took a moment to reflect on why so much stress was there on hiring the youth. "The present generation has better nutrition, they have better education, plus, they are technologically more sound. Today, in tank fights, a tank is not being operated by personnel, it is being operated by a drone...the fights that will be fought in the future will be technology-savvy. We need a different kind of people for that, like the youth. 

Lt General Anil Puri further added that the Centre will commence with the recruitment of 46,000 Army aspirants to analyse the scheme and to build up infra capacity, and added that in the next 4-5 years, the intake of soldiers will be 50,000- 60,000 and it will increase to 90,000 - 1 lakh subsequently.

'Pay & allowance same; no differentiation'

During the briefing, Lt Gen Anil Puri asserted that Agniveers would avail of 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," he added.

The Additional Secretary at the Department of Military Affairs added that an Agniveer will receive compensation of Rs 1 crore if he sacrifices his life in service of the nation. "In case of disability, say one day I am walking up the Tiger Hill and I get shot, or he gets shot, the provisions for both of us will be exactly the same," he added.

Furthermore, coming to the post-retirement period, Lt Gen Puri assured that there is a plan. "If you think that on June 14, a  scheme is announced and on the same day, we give you in writing what would be the reservations...that is not going to happen. We did not share the scheme with the public, we just told them that this is what is going to happen, so you prepare."

"First, on June 15, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed that there would be reservations however, they did not give the percentage. After three days, talked about the per cent...and this was planned. The announcements regarding the reservations for Agniveers announced by the different ministries and departments were pre-planned and not in reaction to the arson that happened after the Agnipath scheme announcement," he said.  

'Didn't anticipate the recent spate of violence'

Lt Gen Anil Puri further added that they had not anticipated the recent violence over the Agnipath scheme. "There is no place for indiscipline in the Armed Forces. All candidates will have to provide a written pledge that they did not indulge in any arson/violence, Department of Military Affairs Additional Secretary said, adding, "Indian Army's foundation in the discipline. No space for arson, or vandalism. Every individual will give a certificate that they were not part of a protest or vandalism. Police verification is 100%, no one can join without that."

Coming to the rolling back of the scheme in the wake of the protests, he said, "No. Why should we? That is the only progressive way to make the country young."