Border Battalions, Women Battalions to be raised in Jammu-Kashmir, says Rajnath Singh

In a significant move to strengthen security situation in the country’s border state Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that nine new battalions, including border battalions and women battalions, will be raised in the state.

Of the nine battalions, two will be dedicated to border areas and will be called 'Border Battalions' and two women battalions will be deployed each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions to take stock of ground situation in border areas, Singh told reporters in Jammu.

Five 'Indian reserve battalions' will be raised in which 60 per cent seats will be reserved for the people living in border areas, he said.

The home minister also said that 14,460 bunkers will be built in the state. Of it, 1,431 will be community bunkers and 13,029 will be individual bunkers. The bunkers will be built at a cost of Rs 450 crore.

Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the state since Thursday, also announced that ex-gratia amount to the family of victims of Pakistan shelling has been enhanced to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 3 lakh. The government has removed three years of fixed deposit term clause, he said.

On the relief for migrants, the cash assistance for Kashmiri migrants has been enhanced by 30 per cent and now each family will get Rs 13,000 compared to current relief of Rs 10,000, Singh said. It was last enhanced in 2015, he said, adding this will benefit 22,000 families in the state. The order will be issued soon after he returns to New Delhi, he said.

An advisory board for migrants to resolve their problems will also be set up, the home minister added.

In another announcement, Singh said that Rs 5.50 lakh compensation will be given to each family of west Pakistan refugees. The benefit will reach to 5,764 refugees. The Centre had announced compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for 36,454 families of PoK and Chammb refugees, he said, adding that out of which 12,763 families had been benefited so far.

Also Read | Rajnath Singh on two-day Jammu and Kashmir visit, to review security ahead of Amarnath Yatra

(With PTI inputs)