Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday announced that ‘Agniveers’ will be provided 20% reservation in police recruitment in the state.
Chairing a review meeting in Panchkula, the Chief Minister reiterated the state’s commitment to honouring and supporting Agniveers after completion of their service in the armed forces.
“Haryana is the first state in the country which has secured the future of Agniveers by creating a provision for jobs after their service period in the armed forces,” Saini said.
In July 2024, just months ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections, the BJP government had already announced a 10% reservation for Agniveers in recruitment for posts such as constables, forest guards and jail wardens, apart from other government positions.
According to an official statement, Saini said, “Agniveers will be provided 20% reservation in the recruitment of state police.” He added that a separate online portal will soon be created for Agniveers where they can register after completing their tenure in the armed forces.
“After this, they will be given preference in jobs on the basis of educational qualification,” he said.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that 2,893 Agniveers from Haryana were recruited in the Army, Navy and Air Force during 2023-24, while 2,227 were recruited during 2022-23.
To further support these young personnel, Saini said those who wish to pursue self-employment or entrepreneurship would be offered loans at affordable interest rates.
The government has also introduced an incentive scheme for industries employing Agniveers. “If the industries employ Agniveers on a monthly salary of more than Rs 30,000, the government will provide an annual subsidy of Rs 60,000 to those industries,” the official statement said.
Additionally, Agniveers wishing to serve as private security personnel will be given priority in the issuance of gun licences. “For this, they will have to apply on the portal,” it added.
The Centre’s Agnipath scheme, launched in June 2022, allows for the recruitment of youth between 17-and-a-half and 21 years for a four-year service term, with 25% of them retained for an additional 15 years.
Soon after the scheme was rolled out, then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had assured that the Haryana Government would guarantee employment for Agniveers upon completion of their four-year stint in the armed forces.
