Madhya Pradesh to give preference to 'Agnipath' soldiers in police recruitment: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said the 'Agnipath' scheme will connect youth with the Army and generate 45,000 jobs.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said soldiers recruited under the Central government's 'Agnipath' scheme will be given preference in police recruitment in the State.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on June 14, unveiled a transformative scheme — 'Agnipath' — for the recruitment of 'Agniveers' [soldiers] in tri-services that include the Army, Navy and the Air Force largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis, in a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process to bring in fitter and younger troops to deal with the future security challenges facing the nation.

“Under the scheme, nearly 46,000 soldiers will be recruited this year between the ages of 17 and a half years and 21 years into the three services,” the Defence Ministry said.

Welcoming the scheme, Mr. Chouhan on Tuesday said, “Such jawans, who would have served in the Army under the Agnipath scheme, will be given priority in the Madhya Pradesh Police recruitment." He said the 'Agnipath' scheme will connect youth with the Army and generate 45,000 jobs.

“I heartily thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for starting this scheme. The Indian Army is the pride of the country and countrymen. The jawans are our heroes and role models. The 'Agnipath' scheme will connect youth with the Indian Army and ensure the protection of the country's borders and strengthen its unity and integrity,” Mr. Chouhan said.

According to the Central government, the recruitment under the 'Agnipath' scheme will be based on an "all India, all-class" basis, which is set to change the composition of several regiments that recruit youth from specific regions as well as castes such as Rajputs, Jats and Sikhs.