"Agniveer scheme an opportunity to harness, use technologically-abled soldiers": Retd Colonel DPK Pillay

New Delhi [India], July 23 : Retd Colonel Divakaran Padma Kumar Pillay said that as technology has advanced with time, the Agniveer scheme is an opportunity to harness and use appropriate soldiers who are technologically abled.
"Agniveer is an opportunity to take the soldiers who are technologically abled, and after being in the army, the calibre is different. Your physical, mental, and moral training are different. So it was an opportunity for us to harness and use appropriate soldiers. We need the correct pool and soldiers who know the current technology and can use it. It is important for us to pick up the real talent for the army. Today's army is not from 1944. It is an army of thinkers," he said.
He said that there has never been a pension plan or a definite way for recruitment in the army for years.
"If you'll see the history of the Indian Army, you'll get to know that there was not a certain way for recruitment in the army. After the war, various soldiers were sent back without any pensions. In 1947 and 1948, during the war with Kashmir, a number of soldiers were released. Even in the wars of 1962 and 1971, the soldiers came with a seven-year service plan. They didn't have any pensions," Pillay said.
"In 1972, when it was decided to increase the pension from 50 to 70 percent, at that time there was a colour scheme; a plan was made to bring 15+2 years of scheme. In 1977, it was implemented. We should know that the pattern of recruitment does not include years of service. An Army person has to be young. After the Kargil War, the Kargil review committee said that a young profile who is technologically advanced is suitable for the army," he added.
Pillay said that the technology that was used in the 1990s has been advanced, so the soldiers who are being recruited now should also be technologically abled. He said that there are various soldiers who are technologically advanced but don't want to be in the army for their whole lives. They want to serve the nation for a few years, and for them, the Agniveer scheme is an opportunity.
"In the army in which I was selected in 1988, we used to see maps, navigate through campus, and use the quadrat system. But all these are not available today. We have GPS today, and the way we use technology today--the system we have today--sensor to shooter--means that the satellite and shooter remain in the same line, which means that earlier we used to get the information about the enemies in two-to-three days, but now we get it immediately. So the soldiers should also be advanced enough to understand all this technology", he said.
"There are various soldiers who want to serve the country for a few years but do not want to be in the army for their whole lives. For them, Agniveer is a good opportunity," Pillay added.
The Agnipath scheme was announced by the Centre in June 2022 and is designed to enable a youthful profile of the Armed Forces. Those recruited under the scheme are called 'Agniveers'.
The government has said there will be several jobs and other avenues open for the youth who are not retained in the defence forces after four years.
On completion of the four-year tenure, about 25 per cent of the Agniveers will be retained in the Indian Armed Forces as regular cadres for a minimum of 15 years. The remaining will get assistance for further employment avenues. The Agniveers will be given Rs 11.71 lakhs as Seva Nidhi Package on their exit, which will be exempted from Income Tax. However, there will be no pensionary benefits.