Hike Agniveer quota to 10%, suggests Haryana Cabinet

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, July 13

The Haryana Cabinet, which deliberated on the reservation of government jobs for those completing the four-year stint as Agniveers at yesterday’s meeting, proposed an enhancement over the proposed quota.

The sources said that the government, in its proposal, had suggested five per cent reservation in jobs across Group A, B, C and D.

However, the ministers — at yesterday’s meeting — suggested that this be enhanced to 10 per cent in keeping with the reservation policy of the Centre for Agniveers on the completion of their tenure.

According to the information available, this will be reframed by the department concerned and a fresh proposal will be drafted with the suggestions of the ministers.

The sources also maintained that one of the ministers, during the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, said that there should have been prior information of the reservation quota proposal instead of it being tabled at the last minute.

Following this objection, on the instance of the Chief Minister, it was simply opened to deliberations in which the ministers gave their suggestions.

“The underlying idea is that no Agniveer should be unemployed after his four-year stint under the scheme. We are committed to absorbing everyone by bringing this job reservation,” a minister said.

Downplaying the minister’s objection to the tabling of the proposal, another minister said, “It was not said as a complaint. However, the minister had said it as a suggestion to allow better preparation on the proposal since it affects a significant number of families.”

The proposal for granting horizontal reservation to the Agniveers across government jobs within the existing quotas but under a new head had been readied for yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. However, it ended up as a discussion with the Cabinet unanimous that the Agniveers be accommodated by increasing their job quota.

“The new proposal will incorporate the various suggestions and is likely come as an agenda item at the next meeting provided it has been modified,” a minister said.

In June 2022, the then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that the Agniveers would be granted government jobs after their term ends.