MHA asks states to absorb ex-Agniveers in private security agencies too

NEW  new delhi: The unification place ministry has asked all states and unification territories to poke at private security agencies and training institutes to absorb ex-Agniveers, citing their experience of working in the armed forces, according to people familiar with the matter.The move triggered sharp criticism from the Opposition which warned such an approach could create “private armies” and undermine national morale.In a September 11 letter to controlling authorities under the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act (PSARA), the ministry said a high-level meeting had directed its Police-II division to work out a system for ensuring the recruitment of Agniveers by security agencies that have been contracted by government departments, banks and other entities.“Considering the huge recruitment in the security agencies, top 10 security provider agencies may be sensitised to absorb Agniveers,” the letter said, citing Section 10(3) of PSARA, which states that private security agencies “may… give a preference” to a person who has served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, police and armed constabularies when hiring guards.To be sure, the home ministry has already reserved 10% vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces for ex-Agniveers, and several defence public sector undertakings are making similar amendments to their recruitment rules, along with age relaxation to hire Agniveers. Some states, including Haryana and Rajasthan, have already announced reservations for Agniveers in their police forces.The September letter directed state-level controlling authorities to sensitise top security agencies and asked state and UT departments to encourage firms hired by them to recruit ex-Agniveers—the first such measure aimed at the private sector.In June this year, the government formally assigned the responsibility of coordinating activities for further career progression of ex-Agniveers to the home ministry.The Agnipath scheme, introduced in June 2022 with the stated objective of keeping the armed forces young and battle-ready, recruits personnel below officer rank in the three services for four years, with a provision to retain 25% of them for another 15 years in regular service. Only men and women aged between 17.5 and 21 are eligible.Agniveers draw an annual salary of ₹4.76 lakh in their first year and ₹6.92 lakh in the fourth. They receive a non-contributory insurance cover of ₹48 lakh and an additional ex-gratia payment of ₹44 lakh for death attributable to service. Those released after four years get ₹11.71 lakh as a Seva Nidhi severance package, including ₹5.02 lakh contributed by them during service.Unlike the legacy system, where soldiers served for about 20 years before retiring in their late 30s with pension, healthcare and canteen facilities, Agniveers released after four years are not entitled to these benefits.The government has reserved 10% of vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces for ex-Agniveers, whilst several defence public sector undertakings are making similar amendments to their recruitment rules with age relaxations. Haryana and Rajasthan have announced reservations in their police forces.The first batch of Agniveers will complete their four-year term next year.Industry welcomes moveKunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), said the association had submitted a proposal to the government offering one month of pre-induction training for ex-Agniveers.“They already have army training, but they don’t have private security training. We’ll have them as assistant security officers or supervisors in our sector. That way, they’ll get good salaries after having worked in the army,” he said.Singh said the industry, which comprises 35,000 security agencies employing 1 crore people as guards, would provide ESI, provident fund, pension, gratuity, insurance, leave and career progression — “almost like a government job”. After about a year, Agniveers could take a course to become security officers or managers, he added.“The government is looking into it and is seriously thinking about how to do it. This has not started yet,” Singh said.The home ministry did not respond to requests for a comment on the developments.Congress spokesperson Rohit Chaudhary said the move was particularly relevant to Bihar, which contributes around 11% of personnel to the armed forces, including 125,000 serving soldiers and nearly 400,000 ex-servicemen.“When these Agniveers come back, they will be handed over to private armies. Does the country accept this? Does the army accept this? Do these Agniveers who are serving the army today accept this? These are not my questions; they are the questions of the entire nation,” he said.