Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Playing with fire: On Agnipath

Playing with fire: On Agnipath

The Agnipath must be put on hold given (दिया गया, विचार करना, ध्यान में रखना) the failure to push (धकेलना, दबाव डालना, थोपना) it as anything but a cost-cutting (लागत में कटौती) measure

All non-officer appointments to the three wings of the Indian armed forces (सशस्त्र बल) will be through the Agnipath (the Agnipath scheme is for recruitment of soldiers in the three branches of the armed forces, on a short-term basis. Under the scheme, youth between 17.5 to 21 years of age will be enrolled on an ‘All-India All-Class’ basis as soldiers for four years. These recruits, who will be known as ‘Agniveers’, will form a distinct rank bearing a distinct insignia (badge/ emblem) in the respective forces. They will not be eligible for any pensionary benefit under the scheme) (literally, the path of fire), the Centre announced on June 14. The Government has enumerated (की गणना, उल्लेख करना, गिनना) its reasons for the move (कदम, क्रिया, कार्य) that fundamentally disrupts not only the process of recruitment (new soldier; new member, new entrant, newcomer) but also the character (attributes, features, qualities, traits; reputation, name, stature, position, status, image, credibility, prestige, eminence) of the soldier. Almost on cue (at the right moment), a section of experts has jumped in praising the move as transformative (परिवर्तनकारी, आगे की सोच, प्रगतिशील) for the country’s defence. But many in the defence community and also political observers have not shied away from expressing their reservations (आरक्षण, संदेह) and shock. Youth aspiring to join the forces are on the streets in protest in several States, and are even turning violent in many places. With no recruitment in the last two years due to COVID-19, these youngsters were already frustrated (हताश, झुंझलाहट, क्रोध). With modest (मामूली, साधारण, सरल) education and skills, they fear the new process stalls (obstruct, impede, interfere with, hinder, hamper, block, interrupt) an accessible (सुलभ, पहुंच योग्य, उपलब्ध) escape route (बचाव का रास्ता) from poverty. As opposed to the existing 15 years plus service followed by lifelong pension, the new recruits, or Agniveers (literally, fire heroes) will have a four-year tenure (कार्यालय की अवधि) including six months of training. Upon completion they will be given an opportunity to apply for permanent cadre (small group, body, team, corps) and up to a fourth would be enrolled as regular cadre. The rest will exit with a tax-free purse (a sum of money; award, reward) of approximately ₹11.71 lakh and return to civil (नागरिक, गैर-सैन्य) life to aid (सहायता करना, सेवा करना) in ‘nation building’. The process of recruitment will commence in 90 days with an intake (batch, lot, selection) of about 46,000 youngsters.

The Government claims (assert, declare, state, affirm, avow (without any proof/evidence)) the new scheme will help build a younger, fitter defence force, with personnel (labour force, force, staff, employees, workforce) more trainable in the changing technological environment (situation, milieu, background, backdrop, scenario). It says it will also inculcate (imbue, inject, instill, inspire (a feeling/quality)) military discipline, ethos (attitudes, beliefs, principles) and skilling as a value addition, improving the prospects (chances, possibilities, opportunities (for success); future) for those who return to civil society. To start with, there will be no permanent recruitment in the armed forces for the next four years. Critics (commentator, observer, pundit, expert) who include many fellow travellers of the ruling BJP have raised concerns such as potential (possible, likely, probable) damage to operational (relating to active operations of the armed forces) preparedness (forethought, anticipation, planning, provision, circumspection, watchfulness, attentiveness, vigilance, prudence, precaution, readiness) given the crises on the borders, with personnel hired for the short term, trained in a rush (in a rushed manner, in a hurry, hastily) and lacking (be without, be in need of, require, be short of) the camaraderie (fellowship, closeness, solidarity, togetherness, mutual support) that professional forces possess. If a soldier’s job is now turned into a contractual employment, it might not motivate aspirants (candidate, applicant, hopeful, seeker, entrant) who hope for job security (a job with a high level of security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of losing it), pension and honour (high respect; privilege, prestige, fame, merit, importance). The argument that defence should not be treated as an employment guarantee scheme is rhetorically (bombastically, oratorically, eloquently, extravagantly, persuasively, expressively) impressive, but the fact is that from the manufacturing of arms (weapons of war, weaponry, firearms, guns, artillery, armaments) to the employment of soldiers, the sector plays a critical role in the economy. For a country like India, where unemployment remains a major policy challenge, the concerns (anxiety, worry, disquiet) cannot be dismissed (reject, deny, spurn, set aside, abandon, drop, disregard, brush off, shrug off) easily. The Government also faces the very credible (acceptable, trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable) charge (accusation, allegation) that this is nothing more than (used to emphasize how low in value something is) a cost cutting plan. Considering all this, the Centre must put the plan on hold and revisit it in consultation (discussion, discourse, debate, deliberation) with political parties, and a wider range of experts.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.given (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - दिया गया, विचार करना, ध्यान में रखना
English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

2.push (verb)

Hindi Meaning - धकेलना, दबाव डालना, थोपना
English Meaning - pressure, put pressure on, pressurize, force, impel, coerce.

3.cost-cutting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लागत में कटौती
English Meaning - relating to actions taken to reduce costs.

4.armed forces (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सशस्त्र बल
English Meaning - army, navy, air force (collectively); troops, forces, services, soldiers, soldiery.

5.enumerate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - की गणना, उल्लेख करना, गिनना
English Meaning - list, itemize, mention, count (things one by one).

6.move (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदम, क्रिया, कार्य
English Meaning - step, action, act, measure, deed.

7.transformative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - परिवर्तनकारी, आगे की सोच, प्रगतिशील
English Meaning - forward-thinking, progressive, liberal, dynamic.

8.reservation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरक्षण, संदेह
English Meaning - objection, doubt, misgivings, scepticism, unease.

9.frustrate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - हताश, झुंझलाहट, क्रोध
English Meaning - annoy, anger, vex, irritate, irk; discourage, dishearten, dispirit, depress, dissatisfy.

10.modest (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मामूली, साधारण, सरल
English Meaning - small, moderate, simple, poor, meagre, sparse.

11.accessible (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सुलभ, पहुंच योग्य, उपलब्ध
English Meaning - approachable, reachable, available, on hand, nearby, handy, convenient, ready.

12.escape route (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बचाव का रास्ता
English Meaning - a preplanned means of escape from a dangerous situation.

13.tenure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यालय की अवधि
English Meaning - term of office, period in office, period of office, time in office.

14.civil (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - नागरिक, गैर-सैन्य
English Meaning - non-military, civilian.

15.aid (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सहायता करना, सेवा करना
English Meaning - help, assist, abet, give assistance to, lend a hand to, be of service to.

16.play with fire (verb)

English Meaning - take (mindless) risks; run a risk.

17.Agnipath (noun)

English Meaning - the Agnipath scheme is for recruitment of soldiers in the three branches of the armed forces, on a short-term basis. Under the scheme, youth between 17.5 to 21 years of age will be enrolled on an ‘All-India All-Class’ basis as soldiers for four years. These recruits, who will be known as ‘Agniveers’, will form a distinct rank bearing a distinct insignia (badge/ emblem) in the respective forces. They will not be eligible for any pensionary benefit under the scheme.

18.put something on hold (phrase)

English Meaning - postpone, put off, put back, hold off, defer, delay, shelve, suspend.

19.measure (noun)

English Meaning - action, act, course of action, deed, procedure, step.

20.wing (noun)

English Meaning - branch.

21.character (noun)

English Meaning - attributes, features, qualities, traits; reputation, name, stature, position, status, image, credibility, prestige, eminence.

22.on cue (phrase)

English Meaning - at the right moment.

23.jump in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - get involved in a situation very quickly.

24.shied away from past and past participle of shy away from (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - avoid, recoil, withdraw nervously (due to fear/surprise/pain).

25.stall (verb)

English Meaning - obstruct, impede, interfere with, hinder, hamper, block, interrupt.

26.recruit (noun)

English Meaning - new soldier; new member, new entrant, newcomer.

27.cadre (noun)

English Meaning - small group, body, team, corps.

28.purse (noun)

English Meaning - a sum of money; award, reward.

29.nation-building (noun)

English Meaning - nation-building is defined as a process which leads to the formation of countries in which the citizens feel a sufficient amount of commonality of interests, goals and preferences so that they do not wish to separate from each other.

30.intake (noun)

English Meaning - batch, lot, selection.

31.claim (verb)

English Meaning - assert, declare, state, affirm, avow (without any proof/evidence).

32.personnel (noun)

English Meaning - labour force, force, staff, employees, workforce.

33.environment (noun)

English Meaning - situation, milieu, background, backdrop, scenario.

34.inculcate (verb)

English Meaning - imbue, inject, instill, inspire (a feeling/quality).

35.ethos (noun)

English Meaning - attitudes, beliefs, principles.

36.prospects (noun)

English Meaning - chances, possibilities, opportunities (for success); future.

37.to begin with (phrase)

English Meaning - to start with, at first.

38.critic (noun)

English Meaning - commentator, observer, pundit, expert.

39.fellow_traveller (noun)

English Meaning - a person who is not a member of a particular political party, but he/she supports it. supporter, advocate, backer, well-wisher.

40.potential (adjective)

English Meaning - possible, likely, probable.

41.operational (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to active operations of the armed forces.

42.preparedness (noun)

English Meaning - forethought, anticipation, planning, provision, circumspection, watchfulness, attentiveness, vigilance, prudence, precaution, readiness.

43.in a rush (phrase)

English Meaning - in a rushed manner, in a hurry, hastily.

44.lack (verb)

English Meaning - be without, be in need of, require, be short of.

45.camaraderie (noun)

English Meaning - fellowship, closeness, solidarity, togetherness, mutual support.

46.turn into (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - become a particular type of person.

47.aspirant (noun)

English Meaning - candidate, applicant, hopeful, seeker, entrant.

48.job security (noun)

English Meaning - a job with a high level of security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of losing it.

49.honour (noun)

English Meaning - high respect; privilege, prestige, fame, merit, importance,

50.rhetorically (adverb)

English Meaning - bombastically, oratorically, eloquently, extravagantly, persuasively, expressively.

51.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a particular situation under consideration/discussion.

52.arms (noun)

English Meaning - weapons of war, weaponry, firearms, guns, artillery, armaments.

53.play a role (phrase)

English Meaning - contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

54.concern (noun)

English Meaning - anxiety, worry, disquiet.

55.dismiss (verb)

English Meaning - reject, deny, spurn, set aside, abandon, drop, disregard, brush off, shrug off.

56.credible (adjective)

English Meaning - acceptable, trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable.

57.charge (noun)

English Meaning - accusation, allegation.

58.nothing more than (phrase)

English Meaning - used to emphasize how low in value something is.

59.revisit (verb)

English Meaning - reconsider, redefine, reevaluate, reexamine, reexplore, rethink, review.

60.consultation (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, deliberation.