With an eye on the Assembly elections later this year, the Haryana government on Wednesday announced a 10 percent reservation for Agniveers in the recruitment of constables, forest guards and jail wardens, along with quotas in other posts. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also said that the government will provide interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh if any Agniveer wishes to set up their own business.
"In direct recruitment to posts of constable, mining guard, forest guard, jail warden and special police officer made by the state government, there will be a 10 per cent horizontal reservation for Agniveers," He said at a press conference.
He said that in Group C and D posts, an age relaxation of three years will also be given. "However, for the first batch of Agniveers, this age relaxation will be five years," Saini added. In direct recruitment for Group C civil posts, there will be a five per cent horizontal reservation for Agniveers, the chief minister said.
He also announced sops for industrial units employing Agniveers. "If any industrial unit employs an Agniveer at a salary of more than Rs 30,000 per month, then our government will give that unit an annual subsidy of Rs 60,000," Saini said. Saini also announced that Agniveers will get arms licences on priority.
The Agnipath military recruitment scheme, introduced by the BJP government at the Centre in June 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the armed forces, has faced severe criticism from several quarters, including opposition parties. In the run-up to the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said in Haryana's Mahendragarh that the Agniveer scheme would be scrapped and thrown in the dustbin if the opposition INDIA bloc came to power.
Victims of hit-and-run Accidents to get cashless Treatment in State
To provide assistance to the victims of road accidents in the State, the Chief Minister said that a new scheme has now been started on the lines of the Central Government. Saini said under this scheme, such victims will be provided free cashless treatment facilities as well as compensation in hit-and-run accident cases. The time limit for the process of application of compensation and payment to the victims has also been fixed. He said under this scheme, the expenditure will be borne from the Haryana Road Safety Fund. Apart from this, a district-level committee will also be formed to properly implement this scheme at the district level. The Chief Minister said an order for payment of compensation will be issued within 15 days of submission of the report by the Inquiry Commissioner. After this, compensation will also be paid within 15 days.
Inaugurates first phase of Asia's largest modern apple, fruit, and vegetable market in Pinjore
In another event, Saini inaugurated the first phase of Asia's largest modern apple, fruit, and vegetable market in Pinjore and provided several benefits for the welfare of farmers and traders. To boost business in the modern apple, fruit, and vegetable market in Pinjore, the Chief Minister also announced the reduction of market fees from 1 percent to 0.5 percent. Besides this, he also announced the expansion of the Haryana Mukhyamantri Kisan Evam Khetihar Mazdoor Jiwan Suraksha Yojana, 2013, increasing the upper age limit from the current 10 to 65 years to now 10 to 75 years. The Chief Minister said that previously, no compensation was provided for accidents caused by lightning strikes on farmers and farm labourers. Now, such accidents will also be covered under this scheme. He said that under the Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteen Scheme, government has decided to open 100 canteens in the state to provide subsidised meals at Rs 10 per plate throughout the year to farmers and labourers. So far, 48 canteens have been operational. He further announced that other canteens will also be opened soon.
