Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Monday, 20 June, said that the Mahindra Group will recruit "trained, capable" Agniveers after the four-year-term under Agnipath, the Union Defence Ministry's new military recruitment scheme.
After his tweet, business magnates including Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran also expressed similar intentions, lending support to the widely-contended scheme.
Following the outpouring of support, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter to say that top industry leaders were hailing the scheme "as a much-needed reform".
What Did Mahindra Say?
Anand Mahindra took to Twitter to say that he was saddened by the violent protests even though the scheme would make Agniveers "eminently employable."
When asked by a Twitter user on what post will be given by the Mahindra Group to Agniveers, he responded, "Large potential for employment of Agniveers in the Corporate Sector. With leadership, teamwork and physical training, Agniveers provide market-ready professional solutions to industry, covering the full spectrum from operations to administration & supply chain management."
'RPG Group Welcomes Opportunity To Employ Agniveers': Other Magnates Follow
Responding to Mahindra's tweet, RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka too put out a tweet promising jobs for the Agniveers.
"The RPG group too welcomes the opportunity to employ the Agniveers. I do hope other corporates will also join us to take this pledge and assure our youths of a future," Goenka tweeted.
Biocon Ltd Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw followed suit. "I firmly believe that Agniveers will have a distinct advantage in recruitment in the industrial job market," she said.
Stating that the discipline and skills of Agniveers will make them readily employable by Apollo Hospitals group, Sangita Reddy, the Joint Managing Director of the firm said in a tweet, "I sincerely hope our industry supports recruiting such capable young people."
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Monday, 20 June, backed the Centre's recruitment scheme.
"Agnipath is not just a great opportunity for the youth to serve the nation's defence forces but it will also make available a very disciplined and trained youth for the industry, including the Tata Group," Chandrasekaran said in a statement.
He further said, "We at the Tata group recognise the potential of the Agniveers and welcome the opportunity this represents."
TVS Motor Company Managing Director Sudarshan Venu had on Friday said the 'Agnipath' scheme will have a significant positive impact on the society, and contribute greatly to nation building.
"Agniveers will play a key role in furthering economic growth and strengthening society in the coming years," Venu had said in a statement.
Background
The central government on Tuesday unveiled the Agnipath scheme, under which youths between the age of 17.5 and 21 years would be inducted in the Army, Navy and the Air Force for a four-year tenure. Twenty-five percent of the recruits will be retained for regular service.
The new scheme was projected by the government as a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process to enhance the youthful profile of the three services.
The announcement of the new scheme came in the backdrop of recruitments into the military remaining stalled for over two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Amid protests over the scheme, which is being criticised for its short-term employment of youths, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday, 18 June, announced 10 percent reservation for ‘Agniveers’ in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. It also declared a three-year age relaxation beyond the upper age limit to 'Agniveers' for recruitment in the two forces.
Soon after this, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved 10 percent reservation in the defence ministry too.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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