The development comes on the back of a controversy over compensation for Agniveers who die in the line of duty.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has begun consultations with veterans of the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) on the Agnipath recruitment scheme. Chauhan also recently visited the Agniveer training centres of the three services and took stock of the ground situation.

The development comes on the back of a demand by the opposition to roll back the scheme and a controversy over compensation for Agniveers who die in the line of duty.

The Defence Ministry has, however, maintained that there has been a good response among the Agniveers regarding the scheme.

During an event at INS Chilka, a premier training facility of the Indian Navy in Odisha, General Chauhan said that the implementation of the Agnipath scheme was one of the major reforms towards maintaining a youthful profile in the defence sector.

The Centre unveiled the Agnipath scheme in 2022 under which personnel are recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force on a short-term contract of four years. Of the total annual recruits, only 25% are allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.

The remaining 75 per cent will be discharged from the military and will receive a severance package that includes a lump sum payment, a skill certificate, and support for finding employment.

Recently, a controversy erupted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that no assistance was received by the family of the late 'Agniveer' Ajay Kumar from Punjab's Ludhiana.

Defence sources said the family of Ajay Kumar, who died in January this year in a mine blast along the LoC, would be getting a compensation of around ₹1.65 crore.

Giving a breakup of the amount, defence sources said the insurance money paid to the family was around ₹48 lakh and another ₹50 lakh came from the bank where his salary was being deposited.

The family will get another ₹44 lakh from the force as ex gratia payment that is given to personnel who lose lives during operations. Another sum of ₹8 lakh will come from the Army welfare schemes while Ajay Kumar's balance payment will be around ₹13 lakh.

In total, the trooper's family will be getting around ₹1.65 crore from different sources.

"Certain posts on social media have alleged that compensation wasn't paid to the next of kin of Ajay Kumar who lost his life in the line of duty. It is emphasised that the Indian Army salutes the supreme sacrifice made by Agniveer Ajay Kumar. The last rites were carried out with full military honours. Out of the total amount due, the family of Agniveer Ajay has already been paid ₹98.39 lakh," the Army wrote on X.

(With Inputs From Agencies)