New Delhi: The Chiefs of the three services on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Agnipath recruitment scheme.
The Chiefs met separately with the Prime Minister and apprised him over the progress made so far on the implementation of the recruitment scheme, sources said.
The first to meet the Prime Minister was Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, followed by IAF’s Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary and Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande.
This was the first meeting of the three Chiefs with the Prime Minister since the protests over the short term recruitment scheme gained momentum in many parts of the country.
The Prime Minister took feedback of the Chiefs over their recruitment calender of Agniveers, the sources said.
Earlier in the day, the officials of the three armed forces unveiled their detailed timeline for induction of Agniveers at a joint press conference headed by Additional Secretary in Department of Military Affairs Lt Gen Anil Puri.
The officials announced that Agniveers recruited under the scheme will be eligible for gallantry awards and that the Indian Navy will get their direct entry into the Merchant Navy after their four-year stint.
Vice Admiral DK Tripathi, Chief of Personnel, Indian Navy said that the recruitment process for Agniveers for the Navy will begin on June 22 instead of June 25 announced earlier.
Lt Gen Anil Puri said that downsizing or rightsizing the Indian Army was never an objective behind bringing Agnipath scheme. (UNI)