E-Paper
Employment, securing roads on govt agenda
NEW DELHI: Paramilitary forces will launch a special recruitment drive in Kashmir to provide employment opportunities to the youth and wean them away from the influence
NEW DELHI: Paramilitary forces will launch a special recruitment drive in Kashmir to provide employment opportunities to the youth and wean them away from the influence of separatist elements.
The Centre and state government will also increase the number of Special Police Officers (SPOs) who help the security forces in anti-militancy operations.
Securing roads in a better manner and not allowing large gathering of protesters by asking security forces to adopt a proactive approach are some of the other measures the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government will take in the next few days to bring the situation under control in the state that is on the edge since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
“The decisions were taken in a meeting between senior NDA ministers and J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday,” said a senior government official.
“Some of these measures may be announced by home minister Rajnath Singh when he makes a statement in Parliament on Wednesday.”
According to a home ministry official, all major roads, especially in volatile South Kashmir, need to be dominated by the security forces to bring the situation under control.
“It has been decided to increase the presence of army and other security forces to secure all critical roads in the area,” said the official.
The focus will be on national highways such as Udhampur to Uri and Udhampur-Kupwara and Udhampur-Zojila in order to keep them free from any blockade.
The security forces have also been asked to adopt a pro-active approach in order to not allow big gatherings of protesters.
Sources said Mufti remains hesitant about increasing the presence of army on the Valley’s streets. “She, in fact, advocated removing restrictions on separatist leaders such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. But the Centre has advised her to wait for a more conducive atmosphere,” said a source in Srinagar.
