MHA sanctions Rs 105 cr, over 2000 to get jobs
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 24: In a decision aimed at helping the youths from border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, both living along the International Border (IB) as well as Line of Control (LoC), the Union Home Ministry has approved raising of two Reserve Battalions of Police exclusive for the youths living within 10 kilometers of IB and LoC. The raising of two new police battalions would give recruitment to a little over 2000 border youth.
“The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will fully fund the two battalions, which were expected to be raised at the cost of Rs 105 crore approximately,” official sources told the Excelsior.
During his visit to Nowshera sector on the LoC in September 2017, Rajnath Singh had promised that brave youth from the border belts of Jammu and Kashmir will be recruited in police through special recruitment for Reserve Police Battalions. The MHA, according to sources, was working on the proposal, which has been approved and a formal decision to this effect has also been conveyed to Jammu and Kashmir Government.
“The Union Home Ministry has asked the Jammu and Kashmir Government to set the process in motion for raising of two Reserve Police battalions, one each for Jammu and Kashmir regions. Both the battalions will have 1000 police personnel approximately from the two regions, totaling a little over 2000,” sources said, adding that financial outlay of Rs 105 crore has also been approved for the two battalions.
Sources said to ensure that maximum people living along the International Border and Line of Control are covered for the recruitment in Reserve Police battalions; the Home Ministry has covered the youths of the areas falling within 10 kilometers from the IB as well as LoC for being eligible for the recruitment criteria. Generally, the people living within five kilometers from IB and LoC are treated as the border dwellers.
“The battalions will be fully raised within a period of two years,” sources said, adding that criteria for recruitment of the youth will be same as is applicable in the Reserve Battalions.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Jammu and Kashmir Government to maintain complete transparency in the recruitment. The MHA has also asked the Government to set the process of raising the two battalions in motion as early as possible after completing the requisite formalities. The State Government, according to sources, has been advised to send regular feedback to the MHA on progress of raising the two new battalions.
The Union Home Ministry’s decision for raising two exclusive battalions from amongst the youths of border areas comes close on the heels of almost regular shelling by Pakistani army and Rangers on the LoC for the past about an year now in which number of troops and civilians have been martyred and scores of others got injured while property of the civilians has also suffered extensive damage.
“It was, however, not necessary that the newly raised battalions would be deployed on the borders,” sources said, adding that their services can be utilized anywhere in the State and that mechanism to defend the borders would remain unchanged i.e. the Army would remain deployed as front-line force on the LoC and Border Security Force (BSF) on the International Border (IB). Jammu and Kashmir Police will keep playing its role on the borders.
It may be mentioned here that International Border only falls in Jammu region covering three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua. Two other border districts of Jammu region, which will be covered under the recruitment for Reserve Police Battalions, are Rajouri and Poonch districts, which share LoC with Pakistan. Border districts in Kashmir share LoC with Pakistan.
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