Youth attack a vehicle of security forces in Srinagar. File photo

New Delhi, April 27

Around 1,000 women will be hired in Jammu and Kashmir for a police battalion, which will primarily deal with incidents, like stone-throwing, in the Valley.The policewomen will be part of the five India Reserve Battalions (IRBs) which the Central government has already sanctioned.As many as 1,40,000 youth in Jammu and Kashmir have applied for 5,000 posts in the five IRBs to be raised in the state. The process of recruitment in the five IRBs has started and authorities have received around 1,40,000 applications, 40 per cent of which are fromKashmir.The women battalion will primarily deal with incidents such as stone-throwing in the Valley and other law and order duties, a Home Ministry official said. The response to the police battalions was very encouraging as there were nearly 30 applicants against one post, the official said.The issue was discussed today at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the Rs 80,000-crore development package announced for Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.The IRBs are being raised with an aim to provide jobs to the local youth and 60 per cent of new IRB vacancies will be filled from the border districts of the state.The cost of raising each battalion is around Rs 61 crore and 75 per cent of it will be provided by the Central government.IRB personnel are normally deployed in their respective states but they can be deployed in other states too if there is a requirement.At present, there are 144 IRBin various states. In addition, four IRBs each are being raised in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 12 in Maoist-hit states besides the five battalions in J&K. — PTI

J&K to get five IRBs

• The raising of the battalion was discussed on Thursday at ahigh-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh
• The policewomen will be part of the five India Reserve Battalions which the Central government has already sanctioned
• As many as 1,40,000 youth in J&K have applied for 5,000 posts in the five IRBs to be raised in the state