Defying Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani's diktat to Kashmiris against joining police service in the Valley, thousands of youths have opted for the job of special police officer.
More than 5,000 youths filed applications and appeared for fitness tests for the post of SPO in various district deputy commissioners' offices across the valley, sources said.
An SPO will initially draw a salary of Rs 5,000 per month, Rs 5,300 after completion of one year and Rs 6,000 after completion of three years.
The reimbursement of expenditure to the state government by the Centre in respect of 10,000 SPOs will be as per existing approved Security Related Expenditure Guidelines.
The central government is in the process of providing employment opportunities to 1.40 lakh youths in the state through various means, including skill development training and jobs in police and paramilitary forces.
Official sources said around one lakh youths, who are mostly under-graduates, will be given various job oriented training under a centrally sponsored scheme called Himayat in next five years.
The youths will be provided short-term training for at least three months, in a range of skills for which there is good market demand.
At the end of the training, the youths are assured of a job and there is one year post-placement tracking to see how they are faring.
Interestingly, the highest number of youths who've applied for the SPO post are in four districts of South Kashmir: Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, considered the hotbed of the ongoing unrest. Around 5,000 youths have applied in South Kashmir, with the highest applications seen in Anantnag. No less than 1,363 youths filed applications for the post of SPO in Srinagar district.
With PTI inputs
Photographs: PTI Photo
