New Delhi, The formulation of the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment of soldiers, airmen, and sailors took the armed forces by surprise, according to former Army Chief Gen M M Naravane. In his forthcoming memoir ‘Four Stars of Destiny,’ Gen Naravane reveals that the armed forces initially proposed retaining 75% of the personnel recruited after the four-year tenure, but the final rollout in June 2022 saw only 25% of approximately 46,000 selected personnel serving an additional 15 years.
Gen Naravane emphasizes that the proposal was initially army-centric, but the Prime Minister’s Office expanded it to include the Indian Air Force and the Navy. The former Army Chief also highlights the importance of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat in advancing the tri-service matter.
In his book, Gen Naravane addresses concerns about the Agnipath scheme, advocating for better compensation for Agniveers and higher retention rates. He recounts the initial starting salary for recruits being Rs 20,000 per month, later increased to Rs 30,000 based on strong recommendations.
PTI
