Nine new battalions to be raised in J-K: Rajnath

Nine new battalions will be raised to take stock on ground in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.

Out of these nine battalions, two will be dedicated to border areas and will be known as 'border battalions', he said.

Two women battalions will be deployed each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions, and five 'Indian reserve battalions' will be raised in which 60 per cent seats will be reserved for the people living in border areas.

The Union minister, who arrived in the state on a two-day visit yesterday, said that 14,460 bunkers will be built in the state at a cost of Rs 450 crore. Out of which, 1,431 will be community bunkers and 13,029 will be individual bunkers.

He also announced that ex-gratia amount to the family of victims of Pak 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.

In another announcement, Singh said that 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.

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.

In another decision, he 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.

The state government will also set up an advisory board for migrants to resolve their problems, the minister said.