WIN-WIN SITUATION
Vindicating central government’s stand that the Agnipath scheme will ensure bountiful opportunities to the youths of the country, various entities in the country have come forward to provide lucrative jobs to Agniveers, who will not be retained in the defence services after the completion of four years as is stipulated in the scheme itself. As far as J&K is concerned, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has come up with a laudable measure creating a win-win situation for those intending to go for the aforesaid scheme for entry in defence services. The LG has announced 10 percent reservation for them in Jammu and Kashmir Police and also agreed to consider suggestions for coaching to the aspirants. Truly, the step is the need of the time and who knows that various other state governments also take a cue and offer similar or even more benevolent schemes to adjust the Agniveers after their exit from the defence services viz Army, IAF or Navy. Haryana Government has already taken this step by assuring reservation to Agniveers in Police and some other departments. This important announcement was made by the LG during his monthly ‘Awaam Ki Awaaz’ programme, which is aired on third Sunday of the month, on All India Radio (AIR)-Jammu and Kashmir. What is interesting about this offer is that the LG has given nod to 10 percent reservation to Agniveers in JKP on the suggestions of Jammu’s Sankarshan Sharma and Akshit Sharma.
The Union Home Ministry has also announced similar reservations in some of the paramilitary forces. Of course, the initiative will encourage the youths to be the part of the highly professional security force of the country and gain much to become the true soldier of the country forever. The word forever has its own significance because it is popular phrase in the country especially about those having served in Army, Air Force or Navy that once a soldier, always a soldier. With this endeavour of the government the people who were critical about the Agnipath Scheme will surely try to hide their faces from public as they have played a very negative role to defame the government and demoralize the youth.