Factcheck: Army is NOT shifting Agnipath recruitment rallies from Punjab to other states
Contrary to media reports which claimed that all recruitment rallies would be held in abeyance or 'alternatively' conducted in neighbouring states if the local authorities do not provide all the facilities, Army sources said there is no plan to shift recruitment rallies from Punjab to any other state.
FollowThe Indian Army has rejected reports that it may shift the Agnipath recruitment rallies from Punjab to other states due to a lack of support from the local civil administration.
Earlier Wednesday reports emerged citing a letter from a zonal recruitment officer in Punjab's Jalandhar to state authorities in which he says that support from local civil administration is 'vacillating with no clear-cut commitments'.
Also Read: From the IAF Vault: Story of the first flight over Mount Everest
The letter reportedly noted that if the local authorities do not provide all the facilities, including medical support, a medical officer, police assistance for law and order, crowd control, security and essential barricading to enable controlled and smooth entry of candidates, they may take up the case with the Army Headquarters.
The letter claimed that all recruitment rallies would be held in abeyance or 'alternatively' conducted in neighbouring states if the local authorities do not provide all the facilities.
However, according to Army sources, there is no plan to shift recruitment rallies from Punjab to any other state.
According to sources, "Indian Army's recruitment of Agniveers as per Agnipath scheme is progressing as per schedule for the recruiting year 2022-23. It is clarified that, specifically in Punjab, recruitment rallies in Ludhiana and Gurdaspur have been successfully conducted with the full support of civil administration. The registration and footfall of candidates have been encouraging as per trends of previous years."
"It is clarified that further rallies at Patiala (September 17-30), Ferozepur (November 1-16) and Jalandhar (November 21-December 10), including women Agniveers will also be conducted as scheduled in close coordination with civil administration," sources added.
Also Read: From the IAF vault: Story of Sikorsky S-55, the first IAF helicopter
Also Read: From the IAF Vault: Story of IAF's own 'Top Gun' academy and its 'Mavericks'
