Are Punjab, Haryana, Himachal governments ready for returning Agniveers

In December 2026, the Agniveers will return to their families and loved ones after serving a four-year term in the Indian military. These young men and women, who were promised job benefits upon completion of their service, were initially met with criticism from opposition parties and civil society activists. In response, various state governments, particularly those led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have announced Agniveer quotas.

In Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's BJP government has released a comprehensive policy on the matter, while Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have yet to provide a solid plan. Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Congress leader Sukhvinder Sukhu have yet to announce any details, despite the Punjab assembly election being held soon.

The AAP government has established a high-powered committee to finalize the implementation of the Agniveer scheme. Data indicates that Haryana has allocated 20% horizontal reservation to various government posts for returning Agniveers, along with provisions for Deprived Scheduled Castes, Other Scheduled Castes, and Economically Weaker Sections.

However, there appears to be a lack of action from the respective governments in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, leading to uncertainty about how they will handle the returning Agniveers.