‘Multi-pronged strategy adopted for containing terrorists’
7.4 lakh provided self-employment, 31830 vacancies filled
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 6: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today said that terror incidents are constantly declining in Jammu and Kashmir with 2023 registering all-time low numbers due to multi-pronged strategy adopted by the security forces for containing activities of terrorists.
In a written reply to the question regarding strategies adopted and actions taken by Government after revocation of Article 370 in 2019 for containing acts of terror in J&K, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, “the Government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. The approach of the Government is to dismantle the terror eco-system and security measures are being strengthened to sustain peace and stability in J&K”.
The strategies adopted and actions taken for containing acts of terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir include round-the-clock Nakas at strategic points; group security in the form of static guards; intensified Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) to effectively deal with the challenges posed by terrorist organizations; sharing of intelligence inputs on a real-time basis amongst all security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Day & night area domination; security arrangements through appropriate deployment; preventive operations involve identifying the strategic supporters of terrorism and initiating investigations to expose their mechanisms of aiding and abetting terrorism; identifications of vulnerable spots to prevent terrorist attacks on civilians, sensitizing men on the ground about the issue and initiation of measures to defeat the machination of terrorists or their mentors are among the other steps being taken to contain acts of terrorists, the Minister said.
Giving figures, the Minister said that this year till November 15, a total of 41 terrorist initiated incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir as compared to 125 incidents in 2022, 129 in 2021, 126 in 2020, 153 in 2019 and 228 in 2018.
Similarly, 44 encounters took place in 2023 till November 15 as compared to 117 in 2022, 100 in 2021, 118 in 2020, 102 in 2019 and 189 in 2018. Likewise, 13 civilians were killed up to November 15 during 2023 as compared to 31 in 2022, 41 in 2021, 38 in 2020, 44 in 2019 and 55 in 2018.
Twenty security personnel were killed in action up to November 15 during the current year as compared to 32 in 2022, 42 in 2021, 63 in 2020, 80 in 2019 and 91 in 2018.
In response to another question regarding steps taken to create employment opportunities for the unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister of State said, “the Government of Jammu & Kashmir has taken several measures for creation of employment opportunities to the unemployment youth, which include implementation of self-employment schemes across various sectors to establish sustainable income-generating ventures for unemployed youth”, adding “a total of 7.4 lakh self-employment/livelihood opportunities generated/strengthened since the year 2021-22 till date”.
He pointed towards launch of new schemes like Mumkin, Tejaswani, Spurring Entrepreneurship under Mission Youth to support the establishment of business units and sustainable livelihood projects, including in the transport sector, conduct of job fairs and placement drives at divisional and district levels to provide a platform for unemployed youth and potential employers, enhancing job placement opportunities.
He informed the Parliament that Government of J&K has introduced skill development programs to bridge the skill gaps among the youth and during the period 2020 to 2023 (up to October) a total of 4,74,464 candidates participated in career counseling sessions and a total of 2,12,109 candidates participated in awareness campus for career guidance.
The Minister also highlighted implementation of governance reforms including transparent large-scale recruitment drives carried out post reorganization. Even the Accelerated Recruitment Committee was constituted in 2020 to oversee public sector recruitment, he added.
In order to infuse an element of transparency and to speed up the recruitment process, interviews for all the posts up-to and including Pay Level 5 and some in Pay Level 6 have been dispensed with and a total of 31,830 vacancies (including J&K Bank) in Government sector have been filled from August 2019 to till date.
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