Odisha: Dharmendra Pradhan offers prayers at Maa Dakhinakali temple in his Sambalpur parliamentary constituency
Apr 21, 2024
Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], April 21 : Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan offered prayers at Maa Dakhinakali temple and interacted with villagers and Kendu leaf pluckers at Rairakhol under the Sambalpur parliamentary constituency during his election campaign on Sunday.
A day ahead of this Pradhan had offered prayers at Maa Metakani Temple in Sonepur, Odisha.
Dharmendra Pradhan who is the BJP candidate from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, is contesting elections after a gap of 15 years. Sambalpur goes to polls on May 25. 
Earlier, Dharmendra Pradhan interacted with Agniveer aspirants on Saturday at the Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Defence Training Academy 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.
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.
