Pune: Maharashtra has approved the creation of 1,000 supernumerary posts across govt and semi-govt establishments for the first batch of Agniveers, who are expected to complete their four-year tenure under the Centre’s Agnipath scheme by Oct.The posts, which provide them with second career opportunities, are expected to be created primarily in uniformed Group-C cadres where the military training, physical fitness, discipline and emergency-response skills of Agniveers can be utilised.Under the Agnipath scheme, introduced in 2022, young men and women were recruited into the Army, Navy and Air Force for four years. At the end of the tenure, up to 25% of each batch was selected for continuation in regular military service based on performance, discipline and suitability, while the remaining 75% leave.Col Deepak Thonge (retd), director of the Sainik Welfare Department and head of the committee constituted to study the retirement and rehabilitation process of Agniveers, told TOI, “This was a crucial decision, as the majority of the Agniveers would get accommodated in state govt services while some of them will get absorbed by the central govt’s paramilitary and other services. Likewise, almost all of the Agniveers would get a job on the completion of their tenure in the armed forces.”According to the Maharashtra Sainik Welfare Department, nearly 2,839 Agniveers from the state are scheduled to complete their service.Maharashtra govt has identified numerous departments and establishments where former Agniveers could potentially be employed, including the home department, state excise department, forest department and urban development department.The potential roles or profiles include police constables and driver constables in the state police and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), prison guards, firefighters and rescuers, personnel in the home guards, state excise personnel and vehicle drivers, forest guards, and firefighters in municipal corporations and councils.For Agniveers, the decision could provide greater certainty about career prospects. “The decision provides a major sense of security to Agniveers who have started preparing for the transition. We would leave the armed forces with military discipline, physical fitness, technical skills and experience. These opportunities in the police, fire and other uniformed services would allow us to put those skills to use,” said an agniveer from Sangli district.Another Agniveer said such govt employment opportunities would also encourage more youngsters to consider the Agnipath scheme.“The four years in the armed forces would give us valuable experience, but the biggest question for those not selected for permanent service was what to do next. Opportunities in the state govt can make the transition smoother,” said an agniveer.State govt has constituted a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary to determine the department-wise and cadre-wise allocation of the 1,000 supernumerary posts and recommend the recruitment procedure.The panel comprises senior officials from the home, forest, general administration, finance and urban development departments, besides representatives from the law and judiciary department and sainik welfare department.Ganesh Pawar, deputy secretary of the general administration department, told TOI, “The appointed committee would define their recruitment process as per the requirement of each department. Based on that, the recruitment would be executed by the respective department.”State govt has also decided that orders for the creation of the supernumerary posts, once the high-level panel finalises the department-wise requirements, would not require a separate re-approval from the finance department.The respective administrative departments will issue orders after creating the posts, while the designated appointing authorities will undertake recruitment.
