Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 13: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs today announced that it would bear the expenditure of Rs 105 crore for raising of two women battalions of Jammu and Kashmir Police, which had been announced by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his two-day visit to the State on June 7 and 8.
An official statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, said the MHA has approved raising of two women battalions for Jammu and Kashmir Police-one each for Jammu and Kashmir region.
Sixty per cent of posts in the two battalions would be reserved for women of 10 border districts of the State including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Kargil and Leh.
“This will provide direct employment to 2014 women in Jammu and Kashmir,” the official statement said.
It added that the recruitment process would be completed by Jammu and Kashmir Government within one year.
“The one-time fund requirement on account of buildings, mobility, arms and ammunition etc to the extent of Rs 105 crore for raising of these two women battalions of Jammu and Kashmir Police would be borne by the Government of India while the recurring expenses towards salary etc would be borne by the State Government,” the statement said.
During his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on June 7 and 8, Rajnath Singh had announced that a total of nine police battalions will be raised in Jammu and Kashmir including two exclusively for women.
Apart from these, two battalions of men will be exclusively raised from the youths of border areas. In five other Indian Reserve Police (IRP) battalions, there will be reservation of 60 per cent for the border youths.
“This will largely benefit the youths including women of the border areas,” sources said. The welfare initiative for the border people was part of series of measures announced by Rajnath Singh for the border dwellers including enhancement in compensation for the civilians killed in Pakistan shelling and firing from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and for dead cattle from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000. The ceiling of compensation for dead livestock, which was maximum three, was also removed.
Apart from this, Rajnath had also announced construction of community and individual bunkers for the border people at the cost of Rs 415 crore and `Seema Bhawans’ for which the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are being worked out.
Rajnath had also visited the border areas of RS Pura and Chakroi during his two day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
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