Dehradun, July 18 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday announced that Uttarakhand will become the first state in the country to establish a dedicated Agniveer Employment Cell to facilitate skill development, career guidance and employment opportunities for Agniveers after the completion of their military service. Dhami made this announcement during the 'Yuva Agniveer Samvad' programme organised by the Youth Foundation at Kuanwala, Dehradun. Addressing the gathering, Dhami said the state government considers the welfare and rehabilitation of Agniveers a top priority and that the proposed employment cell would act as a comprehensive platform to connect them with opportunities in both the government and private sectors.s "Uttarakhand will establish the country's first Agniveer Employment Cell. Honouring the soldiers dedicated to national defence is our top priority. The cell will coordinate opportunities related to skill development, guidance and employment for Agniveers," the chief minister said. He added that the state government had already implemented a 10% horizontal reservation for Agniveers in state government services. The proposed cell, he said, would help connect former Agniveers with employment opportunities in departments such as the police, forest and disaster management, while also providing counselling and ensuring effective utilisation of their skills, discipline and experience in the state's development. The chief minister also announced that special grants would be provided to ex-servicemen and Agniveers to establish homestays under the Tourism Department's homestay scheme. Similar financial assistance would be extended to local residents, ex-servicemen and Agniveers in border villages to develop infrastructure for self-employment. A dedicated cell would also ensure that Agniveers completing their service receive the benefits of various state government welfare schemes. Highlighting measures taken by the state government for soldiers and their families, Dhami said the ex gratia compensation for the families of martyrs had been increased from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.50 lakh. He added that provisions had been made to provide government employment to eligible dependents of martyrs, while the application period for government jobs had been extended from two years to five years. He said serving as an Agniveer was not merely a job but an opportunity for national service, adding that it would become a lifelong asset for them....