MHA to raise two battalions of BSF, CRPF for J&K

New Delhi: With the coming into existence of Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladhak only one-and-a-half months away, the Home Ministry has planned to raise two additional battalions, one each of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in J&K.

According to officials on Thursday, the move is aimed at creating job opportunities for youth in J&K and Ladakh, the two UTs that will come into existence on October 31.

A road map is being prepared just a month after Article 370 was abrogated and the state was split into two UTs with J&K with an Assembly and Ladakh without one.

Besides the Home Ministry, over a dozen ministries, including the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries; Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have joined hands for implementation of 85 central schemes in the two UTs.

They have accelerated development work in J&K and Ladakh under the people-oriented schemes, like PM-KISAN, PM-KISAN-Pension, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and Stand-Up India.