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Centre releases Rs 20K cr to JK under PM's package

The Centre has released nearly Rs 20,000 crore of the Rs 80,000-crore development package for Jammu and Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This
was disclosed at a high-level inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh here today.

Out of Rs 80,068 crore outlay of the Prime Minister's Development Project (PMDP), Rs 61,112 crore has already been sanctioned by various ministries, which is more than 75 per cent of the total amount.per cent of the total amount.

Rs 19,961 crore has already been released to the implementing agencies, including the state government, which is more than 25 per cent of the total amount, an official release said. Singh reviewed the progress in implementation of the mega package and works of various development initiatives announced for Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing unrest lately.per cent of the total amount, an official release said. Singh reviewed the progress in implementation of the mega package and works of various development initiatives announced for Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing unrest lately.implementation of the mega package and works of various development initiatives announced for Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing unrest lately.

The successful implementation of the mega package is key to assuage the feeling of alienation in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.

Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed violence during the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seats in which eight people lost their lives in more than 200 incidents.bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seats in which eight people lost their lives in more than 200 incidents.

There have been protests by students in the Valley last fortnight against alleged police excesses. Students, including girls, were seen pelting stones on security personnel in these incidents. Massive protests erupted in Kashmir after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter in July last year which continued for nearly four months. More than 90 people lost their lives, while scores of security personnel and civilians were injured.

The home minister asked the team of the central and the state government officials to further accelerate the implementation of PMDP with definite timelines so that the people of the state are able to reap the benefits of these development initiatives.

The meeting was attended by representatives from various central ministries and departments, and the state government. The package consists of 63 projects concerning 15 ministries and has an outlay of Rs 80,068 crore.

The PMDP will provide a major development push for Jammu and Kashmir with projects such as AIIMS for Jammu and Srinagar, support for district as well as sub-district hospitals and primary health centres, IIM at Jammu with an out campus at Srinagar, IIT, upgrading of NIT at Srinagar and additional girls' hostels in higher educational institutions.

The central government has also approved providing 1,00,000 jobs for undergraduates and school dropouts under HIMAYAT scheme, an elaborate layout for sports infrastructure in all the 22 districts, development of pashmina wool, cold storage facilities for agricultural produce and development of horticulture.

All-women battalion in JK to deal with stone pelters

An all-women India Reserve Battalion will be raised in Jammu and Kashmir to primarily deal with incidents like stone pelting, a home ministry official said on Thursday. The move comes days after girl students were seen fighting pitched battles with security forces at Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar on April 24, the day the educational institutions in the restive valley reopened after a five-day shutdown.

The exclusive contingent will be among the five IRBs the Centre has sanctioned for the state grappling with persistent violence.

The women battalion would also be assigned other law and order duties but its personnel will be primarily deployed for tackling protesters, the official said.

As many as 1,40,000 candidates have applied for 5,000 posts in the five IRBs. The home ministry decided to go for an all-women battalion after discovering that 6,000 applicants were women.

The issue was discussed today at a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the Rs 80,000 crore development package announced for Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.

The process of recruitment to the five IRBs has started. Nearly 40 per cent of the applicants are from the Kashmir valley. The response is very encouraging with nearly 30 applicants against one post, the official said.
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