Centre assures second career for retiring Assam Rifles personnel

Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], December 11 (ANI): Terming the North East region as a 'very potential area', the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday appreciated the working nature and the honesty of the people in the North East.

While speaking to reporters at the Headquarters of Directorate General of Assam Rifles (DGAR), Pradhan said, "The working nature of the North East people and their honesty are the two characteristics of the north east which create a natural advantage for reliable employment."

"The challenge is on the ways and means which needs to be scaled up for skilling eco-system in the North East," he said.

Pradhan further stated that, "with the signing of the MoU, approximately 1200 personnel who retire annually from Assam Rifles will stand to gain from the initiative. He also added that retired Assam Rifles personnel were a pool of highly disciplined and skilled individuals.

However, Pradhan expressed confidence that the mechanism will create a good eco-system.

Pradhan further informed that he has reviewed skill development efforts in all the North Eastern states earlier in the week and expressed confidence that with collective effort every state is doing well towards development. He also promised to setup a mechanism to improve the supply of Fuel and Petroleum products to meet the needs of the force which is deployed in far flung corners of North East.

Union Minister was present at a ceremony to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Assam Rifles and National Skills Development Commission (NSDC) which is set to pave the way for retiring Assam Rifles personnel towards a second career based on prior learning and experience.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Pradhan, senior officials from Assam Rifles, officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, Director General Assam Rifles said that the signing is just the start as felt the need to get the jawans skilled once they retire to get themselves rehabilitated for a second career.

"I am happy that the Union Minister came with the promise of setting up some institutions here by which we can train our family and our children. Our larger aim is that a larger number of people in the North East get trained along with us".

Chauhan said that the army was a skilled unit and they needed to be retrained to deal with the world once they retire. (ANI)