Agniveers To Pay Expenses If They Leave Agnipath Training Midway: Reports – News18

The Agnipath Scheme was announced by the Indian government last year as a means of enlisting young people in the armed forces. The youth trained under this programme are called Agniveers. The scheme received both positive and negative reception from the public.

Under the Agnipath scheme, the first batch of Agniveers will join the Indian Army next month. The training of the first batch is over and the training of the second batch is about to begin. However, the Central government’s scheme has been left with a blot over it after reports surfaced that many youngsters left the training midway.

As per reports, a military officer has been quoted as saying that in the first batch of Agniveers, more than 50 youths left the training in the middle. Currently, there is no rule binding the Agniveers to the training program or no penalty for leaving the Agnipath training midway. However, the government is planning to bring about a change in that.

The youth who abandon the training in the middle can now be dealt with a monetary penalty. The officer said that those who leave the training and run away will be charged and the entire training expense incurred on the person will be taken from them. This will be done to ensure that only those who are serious about joining the Armed Forces enrol in the Agnipath scheme.

According to the military officer, the youths who left Agniveer’s training have given different reasons. Some left after being on medical leave for more than a month. Others left the training saying that they had found better opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Congress party has attacked the ruling BJP over the reports of Agniveers deserting their training midway. According to a tweet from the General Secretary in charge of Communications of the Congress, Jairam Ramesh, joining the military and serving one’s country used to be the youth’s aspiration. They were provided better facilities and employment security because they were willing to serve their country. He claimed that the Agnipath scheme’s core foundation is flawed. The government has crushed young people’s aspirations to serve the country, he said.