Odisha Sets Aside 10% Quota for Agniveers in Uniform Services

Bhubaneswar- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled new measures on Friday to support Agniveers, announcing a 10 percent quota and a five-year age relaxation for their entry into uniform services within the state.

This announcement comes on the heels of the state government's presentation of a Rs 2.65 lakh crore budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The budget, presented on Thursday, has been met with mixed reactions from various political figures and the public.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said that a provision of Rs 10,000 crore has been made in the Subhadra scheme. Adding to that, she said, "A list of 1 crore 50 lakh women has been prepared. An SOP will be made to decide who will get how much. Feedback will be taken from various sections of the society and the SOP will be finalised.

The Prime Minister will come to Odisha on September 17 and the Subhadra scheme will be launched."

The scheme is set to launch on September 17, coinciding with a visit from the Prime Minister. While former Odisha BJP chief Samir Mohanty praised the budget as "historic" and "people-oriented," opposition voices have been critical.

BJD MLA Pratap Dev accused the government of merely renaming old schemes, saying, "There is nothing new in the budget." Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik described the budget as a "double disappointment," despite the government's claims of a "double-engine" approach.