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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Saturday urged the agitators, protesting against the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme, to maintain peace.
"I request to the youth that where the whole country has congratulated this decision and job opportunities on a large scale will be available through this medium. I urge everyone to maintain peace. PM Modi always thinks and does good about the youth," the chief minister told media persons. He also asserted the recently-launched Army recruitment scheme will be an opportunity for youth across the nation. "I welcome the decision of PM Modi regarding the #Agnipath scheme. I feel the way the opposition is trying to take this issue in a different direction, is not appropriate. It will be an opportunity for the youth across the nation," Thakur said. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Agnipath recruitment scheme which provides an opportunity for Indian youth to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces for a period of four years. Agitations spilt over to several states as youths protested by lying down on the railway tracks, and blocking roads, demanding the scrapping of the scheme. After the protests raged on in some parts of the country, the government has stepped up their efforts to appeal to the protestors not to protest and understand the new recruitment programme of the military. Agnipath scheme aims to make the Army a future-ready fighting force capable of meeting multiple challenges across the full spectrum of conflict, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande said on Tuesday. Soon after the launch of the scheme, the government also announced that it has decided to increase the upper age limit for the recruitment of Agniveers from 21 years to 23 years for the recruitment cycle of 2022. The Home Ministry decided to reserve 10 per cent vacancies for recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles for Agniveers. Home Ministry has further announced that it will give three years of age relaxation to Agniveers beyond the prescribed upper age limit to recruitments in CAPFs and Assam Rifles. For the first batch of Agniveers, the age relaxation will be of five years. (ANI)
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