Centre readies 22 entrepreneurship courses to train Agnipath recruits

New Delhi, July 11: The Centre is coming up with nearly 22 programmes for the new recruits under the Agnipath scheme in a bid to provide them alternative job opportunities after completing their four-year tenure in the armed forces.

The ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship is ready with the programmes to help develop bankable business plans for the Agniveers, according to a report published in Hindustan Times. From three to four programmes in 2016-17, the courses have been increased nearly to 22 courses this year.

The official further stated that the courses designed by the ex-servicemen will be taught in 21 centres and nearly 400 people have already been trained, the report said quoting the official.

"Some have started coaching centres and schools, while others have found jobs in the security sector. The modules are designed to be dynamic and provide skilling to ensure better opportunities," the official added.

In 2022, the ministry is aiming to train about 1,000 ex-servicemen. The eight-to-twelve-week module will be taught in Dehradun and Noida, the report claimed.

After the scheme was unveiled on June 14, violent protests against it rocked several states for nearly a week and various opposition parties demanded its rollback.

Under the Agnipath scheme, those aged between 17-and-a-half and 21 years would be inducted into the armed forces for a four-year tenure and 25 per cent of them will be inducted for regular service subsequently.

The government had, on June 16, increased the upper-age limit for recruitment under the scheme to 23 years from 21 for the year 2022 and subsequently, announced a slew of placatory steps such as a preference for "Agniveers" in central paramilitary forces and defence public sector undertakings on their retirement.

The monthly salary of an 'Agniveer' in the first year of employment will be Rs 30,000. The in-hand amount will be Rs 21,000 while the rest Rs 9,000 will go to a corpus with an equal contribution from the government.

Subsequently, the monthly salary in the second, third and fourth year will be Rs 33,000, Rs 36,500 and Rs 40,000.

Each 'Agniveer' will get Rs 11.71 lakh as 'Seva Nidhi Package' on retirement which will be exempt from income tax.

The four-year tenure under the new scheme will include around two-and-half months to six months of training period.