The Central Reserve Police Force will set aside 40 per cent seats for candidates from insurgency-hit states like Jammu and Kashmir [Images], Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, a top official said on Friday.

The programme plans to provide employment to youths from these states and prevent them from being lured by subversive forces, he added.

The official said CRPF would increase its battalion strength from the present 140 to 204 by the end of next year.

As part of this, the training to raise 22 battalions has already been completed. Another 15 battalions would be raised during the current year, he added.