Ludhiana: The family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar has demanded the 'hero' status for him from the Indian Army after he died in the line of duty. The family said that the compensation money cannot replace Ajay Kumar.
"We want the Agniveer scheme to be scrapped and we should get pension and canteen card," his father told NDTV.
The sentiments were echoed by Kumar's sister, who expressed concerns about the adequacy of the compensation provided. "My brother lost his life for a job of four years. While the government promises Rs 1 crore, can a family survive solely on that amount without him?" she questioned, calling for a reevaluation of the Agniveer scheme.
"Government has given us money, but we want them to shut down the scheme," she said.
Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme was designed to recruit personnel for short-term service in the armed forces, aimed at reducing the age profile across the services. Known as Agniveers, these individuals do not currently qualify for regular benefits such as pension for their families in the event of their death in service.
The issue has sparked broader discussions, with a parliamentary panel earlier recommending that families of Agniveers who die in the line of duty should receive benefits equivalent to those provided to families of regular military personnel.
He also said that while the family has received Rs 98 lakhs, only Rs 48 lakhs have come from the Army. This is in contrast with the Army's statement that the family has been paid Rs 98.39 lakhs of the total amount due.
In a late-night statement on Wednesday, the Army refuted claims circulating on social media that the family had not received the promised compensation. They confirmed that a total of Rs 98.39 lakh had indeed been disbursed to Agniveer Ajay Kumar's family.
"It is emphasised that the Indian Army salutes the supreme sacrifice made by Agniveer Ajay Kumar. Of the total amount due, the family of Agniveer Ajay has already been paid Rs 98.39 lakhs. Ex-Gratia and other benefits amounting to approximately 67 lakhs, as applicable according to the provisions of the Agniveer Scheme, will be paid on Final Account Settlement shortly post Police verification. The total amount will be Rs 1.65 Cr approximately," the army said in a statement.
The family, accepting that they have received the amount mentioned, said that Rs 50 lakh was from an insurance policy.
"First, we got 50 lakh insurance money from the ICICI bank. Then we got 48 lakh rupees from the army. We haven't received the full amount yet. The Army has told us that they will give us 60 lakh rupees more. We haven't received that money yet though. Don't know when we will get it," he said.