Chandigarh, April 9 – Haryana Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, said that with the objective of securing the future of Agniveers, the Haryana Cabinet has approved the ‘Haryana Agniveer Policy–2024’, which will be implemented effectively from August 2026. Under this policy, horizontal reservation for Agniveers in government jobs has been increased from 10 percent to 20 percent. Besides this, employment opportunities will be ensured in other sectors, making Haryana the first state to guarantee employment to former Agniveers.
He said that during 2022–23, a target of 26,649 Agniveers was set at the national level for recruitment in the Army, Navy and Air Force, out of which 1,830 Agniveers were recruited from Haryana in 2022–23 and 2,215 in 2023–24.
Under the Agnipath scheme launched by the Central Government in 2022 as part of defence reforms, 25 percent of Agniveers will be inducted into regular services by the Army based as per its requirements. The first batch, completing four years of service, will return in July 2026, including about 75 percent (1,373) from Haryana, who will be accommodated under the ‘Haryana Agniveer Policy–2024’, he added.
He further said that under the scheme, Agniveers will receive a ‘Seva Nidhi’ package of approximately Rs.11.71 lakh, including 30 percent contribution to the fund by Agniveers during their four-year service period and the Government of India’s corpus fund contribution. Additionally, the Haryana Government will provide special reservations for posts in the Haryana Police, including constables, jail wardens, forest guards, and other positions, as per its policy.
The Minister said that those Agniveers willing to pursue self-employment or entrepreneurship will be provided interest-free loans of up to Rs. 5 lakh for three years by the state government. He added that the Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, in his Budget Speech for 2026–27, has announced the establishment of the Haryana Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Corporation, and the process for the same is underway.
He further informed that the Haryana Government had constituted a separate Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department in 2016 for the welfare of ex-servicemen, paramilitary personnel and their dependents. Since October 2014, employment on compassionate grounds has been provided to the dependents of 420 martyrs, reflecting the government’s commitment towards the welfare of soldiers.
