Srinagar, July 10: In tune with government's desire to bring the Kashmiri youth to the mainstream for a lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched a recruitment drive to ensure that the eligible youth get adequate opportunity to join the ranks of the elite service. "The aim is to motivate the youth especially in Kashmir and later this year take it to Ladakh, Leh, Kargil, Doda, Jammu and Udhampur and bring them into the mainstream," Air Vice Marshal Fali Homi Major told a group of visiting reporters yesterday. Though nearly 1,100 to 1,200 airmen from the state should ideally be in the IAF, he said at present the strength from the state in the last few years has remained 300 to 400 "which we feel is less."

Stating that in the past response from the state government was not "very encouraging" for recruitment towards IAF, the Air Vice Marshal said, "Situation is much better today than what it was three to four years back and the state government has cooperated very well." He said that the force was hoping to get 1000 people every day for test during the four-day drive. Bureau Report