As many as 1,50,000 youths in Jammu and Kashmir have applied for 5,000 posts in new police battalions to be raised in the state.

The process of recruitment in the five India Reserve Battalions has started and authorities have received around 1,50,000 applications, 40 per cent of which are from the Kashmir Valley.

"This is a very encouraging response as there are 30 applicants against one post," a senior government official said.

The IRBs are being raised with an aim to provide jobs to the local youths and 60 per cent of vacancies in the new battalions will be filled from border districts of the state.

The cost of raising each battalion is around Rs 61 crore and 75 per cent of it will be provided by the central government.

Personnel of India Reserve Battalions are normally deployed in their respective states but they can be deployed in other states too if there is a requirement.

At present, there are 144 India Reserve Battalions in various states. In addition, four IRBs each are being raised in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 12 in Maoist-hit states besides the five battalions in Jammu and Kashmir. -- PTI

Representative image.