RAIPUR: In a move aimed at securing employment and rehabilitation for former military personnel, the Chhattisgarh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, on Wednesday approved a 10 per cent reservation for Agniveer soldiers in the state civil services.
The 10 per cent reservation will apply to direct recruitment for Class-III (Group C) posts—specifically constables in the police department, forest guards in the forest and climate change department and guards (Praheri) in the jail department—and is seen as a boost for returning Agniveers.
The Cabinet formally approved framing the "Chhattisgarh Civil Services Reservation Rules-2026 for Agniveer Soldiers" to govern this quota.
The benefit is extended to candidates who have completed four years of service in the Indian Armed Forces and obtained a valid discharge certificate.
State officials stated that the policy will provide returning servicemen with stable career prospects while infusing state police, forestry, and prison administration with trained, disciplined, and highly skilled personnel.
In Chhattisgarh’s new Industrial Development Policy released earlier in 2024, the state government granted specific exemptions earmarked for Agniveer soldiers, in addition to women entrepreneurs, surrendered Maoists, members of the third gender, retired ex-servicemen and entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, offering them pathways to public and private sector employment.
In another major decision to support the state's agrarian sector, the cabinet approved the formation of a Cabinet Sub-Committee dedicated to ensuring the timely, seamless supply and distribution of fertilisers during both the Kharif and Rabi farming seasons.
The committee has been empowered to consult subject experts, department officials, and institutional representatives to formulate actionable recommendations and advise the State government on fertiliser availability and distribution logistics.