Odisha: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan interacts with Agniveer aspirants in Sambalpur

Pradhan, who is also the BJP candidate from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, said that there is excitement among the girls in the academy to join the armed forces.

"Sambalpur is a spirited city. This place has a lot of positive vibes. For the Agniveer scheme, there is excitement among these girls, these are 21st century girls. PM Modi has taken the decision to give them a place in paramilitary forces. I wish them all the best," Dharmendra Pradhan said.

An aspirant named Niharika said that she wanted to do something for the country, adding that she was hopeful of joining the Army.

"I wanted to do something for my country, there is an Agniveer scheme for which in our academy we are getting training. There are lots of facilities. It is a free course for one year. I have had a dream since childhood to join the army," she told ANI.

The Union Cabinet on June 14, 2022, approved an attractive recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces called AGNIPATH, and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.

Candidates will be appointed as 'Agniveers' for four years under this scheme.

Opposition parties are criticising the 'Agnipath' scheme and have vowed to scrap it if voted to power.

Earlier this month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Indian Army was against the idea of the Agnipath scheme adding that this policy was a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all decisions regarding it were taken in the Prime Minister's Office.

"Earlier poor used to join the Army, they used to get pension. Now they are training an individual for 4 months whereas a Chinese soldier is getting training for five years. You know what will happen, and when that agniveer dies, he won't get anything no pension, no canteen. We will abolish this scheme once our government comes to power. Interstingly, even the Army is against the Agniveer scheme. This scheme was the idea of the Prime Minister and its decision was taken in the Prime Minister's office," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a rally in Shahdol.

Congress, in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, has promised to abolish the Agnipath Scheme and return to the normal recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. "It will guarantee economic and social security for our soldiers," the manifesto read. (ANI)