Chandigarh, Jan 5 : Haryana Sainik and Ardh-Sainik Welfare Minister Rao Narbir Singh on Monday said the tenure of the first batch of the ex-servicemen appointed under the Agnipath Scheme would be completed in July.

â??Thereafter, to ensure a bright future for Agniveers, the government has formulated the Haryana Agniveer Policy -- 2024, which will be effectively implemented from August,â?? he said in a statement. â??Through this policy, Agniveers will be provided employment opportunities in government jobs and other sectors.â??

Rao Narbir Singh said Haryana has become the first state in the country to provide an employment security cover to Agniveers after their service in the armed forces.

He said during 2022-23 a national-level target of recruiting 26,649 Agniveers was set for the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force. In this sequence, 1,830 Agniveers were recruited from Haryana in 2022-23 and 2,215 in 2023-24. He said that despite limited representation in terms of population and geography, the spirit of patriotism among Haryanaâ??s youth is particularly evident.

â??The youth proudly choose the uniform of the armed forces over white-collar jobs. This is why every 10th soldier in the countryâ??s armed forces hails from Haryana.â?? Rao Narbir Singh said the state government constituted a separate Department of Sainik and Ardh-Sainik Welfare in 2016 for the welfare of ex-servicemen, paramilitary forces, and their dependents. From October 2014 till date, the state government has provided government jobs on compassionate grounds to the dependents of 418 martyrs.

He said during the Seva Pakhwada programmes held from September 17 to October 2, 2025, reunions of ex-servicemen were organised according to various corps and regiments of the Army. In addition, proposals are being prepared in accordance with the state governmentâ??s policy to name schools and other institutions after the martyrs of the 1962, 1965, 1971, and Kargil wars. During these programmes, ex-servicemen, personnel of paramilitary forces, and families of martyrs were invited and tree plantation was carried out by them.

/IANS