Chandigarh, Oct 10 (PTI) The Haryana Cabinet on Saturday approved amendments to a state policy to facilitate employment for ex-Agniveers in government departments by recognising their training, discipline and skills.
The Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, also approved amendments to the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, extending the scheme’s benefits to more eligible women and simplifying its implementation.
Under the amended Agniveer Policy, former Agniveers will be exempted from all examinations prescribed for recruitment to Group C posts covered under the policy. They will be considered for direct appointment against advertised posts, subject to reservation and other applicable provisions.
The ex-Agniveers will be exempted from the Physical Screening Test (PST) and the Physical Measurement Test (PMT) to apply for the posts of wildlife guard in the Environment, Forest and Wildlife Department, constable in the Indian Reserve Battalion, constable in the State Disaster Response Force, and fire operator-cum-driver in the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
These posts were recently included under the state’s existing reservation policy for ex-Agniveers.
The Cabinet also gave in-principle approval for upgradation of the post of mining guard in the Mines and Geology Department from Group D to Group C. For this, necessary amendments will be made to the Haryana Mines and Geology Department (Group C) Service Rules, 1998.
The decision will facilitate the implementation of reservation and other benefits notified for ex-Agniveers in government job recruitments.
The upgradation will bring the post in line with similar positions in other departments, such as forest guard in the forest department, warder in the prisons department and police constable in the home department, which are classified as Group C posts.
Recruitment to Group C posts involves multiple stages of selection beyond the Common Entrance Test, enabling an appropriate mechanism to assess candidates while implementing the policy for ex-Agniveers.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, extending its benefits to more eligible women.
With this, the annual family income limit for eligibility under the scheme will be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh.
The initiative aims to promote women’s empowerment by strengthening their financial independence and providing social security. Currently, more than 10 lakh women benefit from the scheme.
The Cabinet also approved the removal of the provision that allowed beneficiaries to choose a lower amount of monthly assistance.
With this change, all eligible beneficiaries will receive the prescribed benefit of Rs 2,100 per month, ensuring uniformity in disbursement and simplifying the administrative process.
Under the scheme’s payment mechanism, the first instalment for new beneficiaries will be credited in full to their savings bank accounts.
From the second month onwards, Rs 1,100 will be credited directly to the beneficiary’s savings account, while Rs 1,000 will be deposited in a Government-operated Recurring Deposit or Fixed Deposit account.
The Haryana Cabinet also gave a nod to the continuation of the 6th State Finance Commission’s recommendations for devolution of funds to rural and urban local bodies from the financial year 2026-27 until the recommendations of the next State Finance Commission become available.
The decision was taken as the 7th State Finance Commission has not yet submitted its report to the state government.
Under the approved framework, 7 per cent of the State’s Own Tax Revenue will be devolved to local bodies on an actual basis.
The distribution of funds to gram panchayats and urban local bodies will be based on a weightage of 80 per cent for population and 20 per cent for area. PTI CHS RUK
RUK
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