Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 8: Striking balance between all three regions of Jammu and Kashmir, the State Government today sanctioned five Indian Reserve Police (IRP) battalions after approval by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in five districts of the State including two each in Jammu and Kashmir districts and one in Leh district of Ladakh.
“The raising of five new battalions would give jobs to 5035 youths as each battalion would have 1007 posts,” official sources told the Excelsior.
An official order issued by Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department, RK Goyal said five battalions would be raised in Kishtwar, Udhampur, Bandipora, Pulwama and Leh districts.
Two districts (Bandipora and Pulwama) belonged to the Kashmir valley, Udhampur and Kishtwar to Jammu region and Leh in Ladakh region.
Each district selected for raising of the IRP battalion will get 1007 youths recruited.
The State Cabinet had given approval to raising of five new IRP battalions through circulation of agenda on September 2 after receiving the approval from Union Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by veteran BJP leader Rajnath Singh, on July 27, 2016.
According to sources, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs would bear the expenditure of raising of five IRP battalions in Jammu and Kashmir, which was aimed at not only tackling unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir but also engaging the youths, who were involved in current unrest in the Kashmir valley, which will also get two battalions.
Recently, Army had also conducted recruitment in Kashmir while Jammu and Kashmir Police has advertised large number of posts of the Special Police Officers (SPOs). All these measures, according to sources, were aimed at engaging the youth and deviate them away from the present unrest.
The Government order said five IRP battalions would be raised as per terms and conditions conveyed by the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs vide their couple of communications with the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The new IRP battalions would be named as 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th.
Though the raising of the new battalions was long due as it was being pursued by the State Government with the Ministry of Home Affairs, their formal sanction by the Centre Government and immediate approval by the State Government comes amidst ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley for the past about 62 days now, which was being led mainly by the youths. Nearly 75 people have died in the unrest while 10,000 others were injured, half of them para-military and police personnel.
Sources said each battalion would have 675 posts of constables, 160 head constables, one Commandant, three Deputy Commandants, seven DySPs, seven Inspectors, 23 Sub Inspectors, 18 Assistant Sub Inspectors, 15 water carriers, 15 sweepers, 24 cooks, eight dhobis and seven barbers.
In Ministerial staff, each battalion would have one head clerk, five clerks and one steno.
In wireless staff, the battalion would have one Inspector, two Sub Inspectors, four head constables and 26 constables while in Medical staff, the battalion would comprise one Medical Officer, two Pharmacists and one Nursing Assistant.
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