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The Agnipath scheme
- Under the new scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers (will be called ‘Agniveers’) will be recruited annually (for a short period, and most will leave the service in just four years.
- Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
Format of the scheme:
- Eligibility: Aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply. The scheme is only applicable to personnel below officer ranks.
Objectives
- To ensure a youthful profile for the armed forces
- By bringing down the average age of serving soldiers.
- The scheme would help transform the armed forces into a “tech-savvy and modern fighting force.
Empowered civil society
- It would ensure the availability of disciplined and skilled youth from a range of backgrounds in civil society after their retirement at the end of four years.
- To reduce the burgeoning defence pension bills
Benefits
Starting salary
- The starting salary of a regular soldier, combined with military service pay and dearness allowance, comes to around Rs 40,000, whereas the starting salary of an Agniveer is Rs 30,000.
Eligibility for pension
- A soldier employed on regular service will draw a pension post-retirement, while an Agniveer will not.
- The 25% of Agniveers who would eventually be absorbed into the forces after four years will, however, be eligible for pension after retirement.
In case of a battle casualty
- In case of a battle casualty, the family of a regular soldier gets a liberalised family pension which is equal to the last pay drawn, for life.
- There is no income tax on this amount.
- The family of an Agniveer is eligible only for a non-contributory insurance sum amounting to Rs 48 lakh.
Gratuity and insurance
- A regular soldier gets gratuity for 15 days per year for every year of service, and has an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh.
- Soldiers on regular service also get a children’s education allowance up to graduation.
- None of these are available to Agniveers.
Disability during service
- In case of suffering a disability during service, an Agniveer gets:
- an ex-gratia amount that depends on the percentage of disability suffered,
- pay for the remaining part of the four-year service tenure (if they go out of service), and
- Monetary benefits under the Seva Nidhi scheme.
- A regular soldier who suffers a disability gets pension, ex gratia, as well as impairment relief as per entitlement.
Recruitment:
- Twice a year through rallies.
- The recruitment will be done on “all India, all class” recruitment to the services (from any caste, region, class or religious background). Currently, recruitment is based on ‘regiment system’ based on region and caste bases.
Training period:
- 6 months + deployment for three and a half years.