Extending Ceasefire – Decision after assessing security situation: Rajnath
Says J&K border residents to get 60% reservation in 5 new IRP battalions
Srinagar, Jun 08: The Union Home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the prospect of extension of ceasefire will be taken after reviewing and assessing the security situation of the state.
Singh who visited the frontier district of Kupwara today and interacted with the locals living near border areas, said the decision in this regard would be taken after proper consultation with the public representatives and reviewing the security situation.
“The security scenario across the state will be reviewed at the highest level soon and thereafter decision in connection with the extension of ceasefire will be taken,” Singh told reporters outside Dak Bunglow Kupwara.
Singh also said the Centre had decided to raise five Indian Reserve Police (IRP) battalions in which people from border areas of Jammu and Kashmir would be given 60 percent reservation.
The minister was speaking after meeting people living in border areas in the frontier Kupwara district, on the second day of his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Singh reached the north Kashmir district this morning and later, took a flight to the state’s Jammu region, officials said.
He was accompanied by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh to Kupwara, they said.
“We have decided to create two battalions from the people living from zero to 10 km distance from the border, and also create five IRP battalions having over 5,000 personnel in which 60 per cent reservation will be given to people living in zero to 10 km range from the border,” Singh said.
Besides, two female battalions will also be created, he said.
The Home minister met several local delegations, including that from the Gujar and the Bakerwal communities, at the Dak Bungalow, the officials said.
The delegations informed him about the initiatives taken by the State as well as the Central government, they said.
“They also talked about what needs to be done in this area,” the minister said.
Singh also visited the District Police Lines in Kupwara where he paid tributes to police personnel killed in the line of duty, the officials said.
He also addressed police and CRPF men at the police lines.
