Chandigarh: Haryana Sainik and Ardh- Sainik Welfare Minister, Rao Narbir Singh said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Agnipath Scheme was launched in June 2022 with the objective of strengthening the youthful profile of the Indian Armed Forces and instilling enthusiasm, passion and discipline among the youth for service to the nation. Under this scheme, young people are provided the opportunity to serve as Agniveers for a period of four years.
He informed that the service tenure of the first batch under the Agnipath Scheme will be completed in July 2026. Thereafter, to ensure a bright future for Agniveers, the Haryana Government has formulated the Haryana Agniveer Policy–2024, which will be effectively implemented from August 2026. Through this policy, Agniveers will be provided employment opportunities in government jobs and other sectors. Rao Narbir Singh stated that Haryana has become the first state in the country to provide an employment security cover to Agniveers after their service in the Armed Forces.
The Minister further said that during the year 2022–23, a national-level target of recruiting 26,649 Agniveers was set for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In this sequence, 1,830 Agniveers were recruited from Haryana in 2022–23 and 2,215 in 2023–24. He said that despite limited representation in terms of population and geography, the spirit of patriotism among Haryana’s youth is particularly evident. The youth here proudly choose the uniform of the Armed Forces over white-collar jobs. This is why every tenth soldier in the country’s Armed Forces hails from Haryana.
Rao Narbir Singh said that the Haryana Government constituted a separate Department of Sainik and Ardh- Sainik Welfare in 2016 for the welfare of ex-servicemen, para-military forces, and their dependents. From October 2014 till date, the state government has provided government jobs on compassionate grounds to the dependents of 418 martyrs.
He informed that during the Seva Pakhwada programmes held from 17 September to 2 October 2025, reunions of ex-servicemen were organized according to various corps and regiments of the Army. In addition, proposals are being prepared in accordance with Haryana Government policy to name schools and other institutions after the martyrs of the 1962, 1965, 1971, and Kargil wars.
During these programmes, ex-servicemen, personnel of para-military forces, and families of martyrs were invited and tree plantation was carried out by them. Rao Narbir Singh said that such events have effectively infused a renewed resolve of patriotism, sacrifice, and service to the nation among the youth of Haryana.
