The Indian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to honoring the sacrifices of its soldiers amidst a growing political controversy over the compensation provided to the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who lost his life in the line of duty.
Indian Army Clarifies Compensation Claims Amidst Political Controversy
The Indian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to honoring the sacrifices of its soldiers amidst a growing political controversy over the compensation provided to the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who lost his life in the line of duty. According to a recent statement from the Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), Agniveer Ajay Kumar’s family has already received Rs 98.39 lakhs as part of the ex-gratia and other benefits. An additional sum of approximately Rs 67 lakhs is slated for disbursement following the final account settlement, pending police verification. This brings the total compensation to around Rs 1.65 crore, adhering to the provisions of the Agniveer Scheme.
The controversy erupted after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of misleading Parliament regarding the compensation allotted to Agniveer families. The Agniveer Scheme, initiated in 2022, facilitates the short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces, aimed at lowering the age profile across the three services. Individuals recruited under this scheme are known as Agniveers.
However, unlike regular military personnel, families of Agniveers who perish in the line of duty are not eligible for standard benefits like pension. This discrepancy has been a subject of parliamentary deliberation, with a February parliamentary panel recommending parity in benefits for families of Agniveers and regular military personnel.
Agniveer Scheme Benefits
