Veteran Soliders Lead India's War Against Maoism in Bihar

Former soldiers have picked up arms again, this time to fight the rising menace of Naxalite violence in Bihar. Raised last year, the Bihar Auxiliary Force recruited 5,000 ex-servicemen in November and December.

The young force, consisting of veteran soldiers, proved its mettle when they foiled a Maoist raid on a bank under Riga police station in Sitamari district near Nepal border. This was stated by Major General Harwant Krishan, Director-General (Resettlement), DGR, on the sidelines of a training course for retiring soldiers in New Delhi today.

The DGR also disclosed that Rajasthan state government has hired about 1,200 ex-servicemen as forest guards. The desert state was stunned two years ago when a Wildlife Institute of India survey confirmed that a poaching mafia had robbed Sariska reserve of its entire tiger population of about 16-18 in numbers. General Krishan said the DGR had helped secure re-employment for about 16,000 ex-servicemen since January this year. In Haryana, the ex-servicemen have been found useful for meter-reading jobs in private agencies contracted by Haryana State Electricity Board and for undertaking Below Poverty Line head count in the state. General Krishan said talks are in advanced stage with the Delhi Metro and DTC to institutionalise a framework for recruitment of ex-servicemen.

Earlier, General Krishan addressed about 50 soldiers, due for retirement shortly, undergoing a two-day Career Transition Course for Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBORs) at the Rajputana Rifles Regimental Centre, Delhi Cantt. Representatives of five private companies were present on the occasion to brief about employment opportunities and possible campus recruitment. The DGR said companies have been asked to maintain a salary bar to avoid exploitation of ex-servicemen.

Due to its high attrition rate, re-employment of ex-servicemen is a priority for the government and the DGR has rendered great utility in their rehabilitation. About 60,000 men of the roughly 12 lakh strong defence forces retire every year, making up about five percent of the workforce.