Kolkata, June 29 (Agency) Dismissing the centre’s missive that Agniveers – those recruited on four-year contracts in the defence forces under the Agnipath scheme – be given jobs in the state government once they complete their tenure with the armed forces, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she would rather give priority to employing youths from her state rather than “BJP workers” . Banerjee said the central government has sent letters to the states for employing Agniveers once they end their tenure with the armed forces.
“I received a letter (from the centre), in which they said once they (Agniveers) complete their four years… take our data bank… give them jobs in the state government,” she said. Taking pot shots at the centre, the Chief Minister said after employing the youths for only four years, the Narendra Modi government was onpassing the responsibility of giving them jobs to the states. “Why should we give BJP workers jobs?” Banerjee asked. The Trinamool Congress supremo had earlier described the Agnipath project as BJP’s “cadre formation project” for “looting” votes during the election. “We don’t have a problem giving jobs. If it’s a job in our state, we will give it to a youth from our state. You employ them for four years then leave it up to the states. There’s no dearth of youths in our state who require jobs. we will give first priority to them,” Banerjee added.