Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended the central government’s Agnipath scheme, emphasizing its strategic importance in addressing the age profile of the Indian Army. Speaking in Mumbai, Fadnavis highlighted the need for modernizing the military to ensure operational effectiveness and counter any potential issues arising from an aging army.
“If the average age of our Army is more than the average age of the Armies of the world, then we may face problems during the war. Keeping this in mind, this (Agnipath) scheme has been started,” Fadnavis stated, underscoring the rationale behind the initiative. The Agnipath scheme aims to infuse the Indian Army with younger personnel and enhance its operational readiness.
The scheme has been a focal point of debate and controversy, with opposition parties and critics raising concerns about its implementation and impact on military personnel. In response, Fadnavis emphasized that the Agnipath scheme includes comprehensive provisions to ensure the respect and well-being of Agniveers, the new recruits under this program.
“Agniveers should be respected, they should get all kinds of facilities, they should not face any kind of problem in the future, all these provisions have been made in this scheme,” he assured. Fadnavis highlighted that the scheme is designed to address concerns and provide robust support systems for the recruits.
The Deputy Chief Minister also criticized opposition parties for allegedly spreading confusion about the scheme. He accused them of deliberately creating misunderstandings to undermine the initiative’s objectives and benefits.
“The opposition deliberately spreads confusion,” Fadnavis asserted, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring that the Agnipath scheme is implemented effectively and that the interests of Agniveers are safeguarded.
