Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Government Government of India has incurred a whopping expenditure of Rs 10528.72 crore on the Jammu and Kashmir Police force and spent another Rs 5348.68 crore as relief and rehabilitation, a recent Ministry of Home Affairs report has said. According to the Union Home Ministry's recently released Annual Report 2022–23 released on October 4, from 1989 to December 31, 2022, Rs 10,528.72 crore was spent on police, while Rs 5,348.68 crore was used for relief and rehabilitation.
The report further said that a sum of Rs. 308.98 crore has been given to the police for the fiscal year 2022–2023, along with Rs. 198.62 crore for relief and rehabilitation. Additionally, the Security Environment Scheme received Rs. 2.51 crore during the fiscal year 2022–2023, it said. According to the report, Jammu and Kashmir is physically India's 12th biggest state or Union Territory and has a 221 km border with Pakistan.
With regard to militancy in the region, the report said that a total of 228 militancy related incidents occurred in the region in 2018 while 189 anti-militancy operations were conducted. During this time, 257 militants, 55 civilians, and 91 security forces personnel were killed, the report said. In 2019, there were 102 anti-militancy operations in which 80 security forces personnel, 44 civilians, and 157 militants were killed during.
The year 2020 wasn't all that different from the previous years when there were 118 anti-militancy operations and 126 militancy related incidents wherein 38 civilians, 63 security forces personnel, and 221 militants were killed, said the report. The report points out that 2021 witnessed 129 militancy related incidents and 100 anti-militancy operations in which 42 security forces personnel, 41 civilians, and 180 militants were killed.
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Likewise, there were 117 anti-militancy operations and 125 militancy related incidents in 2022 with 32 security forces personnel, 31 civilians, and 187 militants killed during this time. According to the report, there were 419 attempts at cross-border infiltration in 2017, 328 attempts in 2018, 216 attempts in 2019, 99 attempts in 2020, 77 attempts in 2021, and 53 attempts in 2022.
These attempts were foiled, and fencing, floodlights, and other cutting-edge infrastructure were also put in place along the Line of Control and international border, said the report. It said that in order to uphold peace and order in the area, the government sanctioned the formation of two Border Battalions, two Women Battalions, and five Indian Reserve Battalions.
The process of filling positions for two border battalions and two women's battalions has now begun, and five Indian Reserve Battalions' recruiting has now been completed, it said. It said that the Special Police Officer (SPO) position and pay in the Jammu and Kashmir Police have also been improved. Currently, there are 34,707 sanctioned SPO posts in the region, of which 32,355 have been appointed.
The SPO's salary was increased, and the top pay now stands at Rs 18,000 per month. The Village Defence Guard's (VDG) authorised strength is 4,985, of which 4,153 are currently on duty.
