The Union Cabinet on 14^th June, 2022 approved an attractive recruitment scheme for Indian youth service in the Armed Forces called AGNIPATH and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as ‘Agniveers’.  AGNIPATH allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for the period of four years.  The AGNIPATH scheme has been designed to enable a youthful profile of the Armed Forces.

In order to identify ways in which the Banks and Financial Institutions can support the ‘Agniveers’ on completion of their tenure of duty, the Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS) held a meeting with Chief Executives of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Public Sector Insurance Companies (PSICs) and Financial Institutions (FIs), here today.  In the meeting, Joint Secretary, Department of Military Affairs made a presentation on the salient aspects of the AGNIPATH scheme.

During the meeting, it was decided that PSBs, PSICs and FIs would explore employment opportunities for ‘Agniveers’ in suitable capacities based on their educational qualifications and skills through suitable benefits/relaxations, etc.

It was also decided that Banks would explore possibilities of supporting ‘Agniveers’ through suitable credit facilities for skill upgradation, education for setting up businesses and to take up self-employment.  The existing Government schemes such as MUDRA, Stand Up India etc. would be leveraged for extending such support to ‘Agniveers’.

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