Best woman inductee in navy through 'Agnipath' to get General Bipin Rawat Award: Indian Navy Chief

bipin-rawat-bccl

Late CDS General Bipin Rawat.

Photo : BCCL
New Delhi: The Agnipath scheme began taking shape when the late General Bipin Rawat, was chief of defence staff, and as a tribute to him, the best woman inductee in the Navy under the Agnipath scheme would be given the General Bipin Rawat award, Admiral R. Hari Kumar, the Navy chief, said on Tuesday.
The Navy chief said while speaking at an AIMA function that he and others in the armed forces were fully behind the Agnipath scheme, adding that it happened after "extensive deliberation" and should have happened much earlier. The Agnipath scheme would lead to the armed forces being younger and presumably, fitter.
He said the Kargil Committee report of 2000 had spoken of a younger army. The Admiral also spoke of the scheme ensuring the armed forces were "more Indian," and people from not only every district but every 'bloc' in the country were represented.
If the word 'Agnipath' had been an acronym, it would have meant the following, he said. The "A" was for 'Amrit Kaal', which the government has said, is a reference to a centenary of independence. The "G" is for growth, not just in the national economy, but also in the number of people in uniform who will be serving the country. The "N" is for nation building as young men, sufficiently skilled after several years of military training, would be joining the workforce. . The "I" would be for integration as there will be representatives from every block in the country. The "P" would, quite naturally, be about patriotism. The "A" would be about 'atmanirbharata' or self-reliance, something this government is serious about. The "T" is for transformation, or the way Agnipath would change India. And finally, the "H" is for harnessing the potential of the youth in the country.
The Navy chief was confident of the success of the 'atmanirbharata' scheme, adding that while the INS Vikrant, the new aircraft carrier was about 76 per cent indigenous, the Navy would be completely independent of foreign suppliers by 2047.
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