Srinagar:
The first day after the Centre announced its 8-point peace formula for Kashmir saw curfew being relaxed in Srinagar, and lifted from many other parts of the valley.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has announced a new calendar of strikes for the next ten days.
But the state government says it will reopen schools shut for almost three months now.
"We will ensure that our children go to schools and schools remain open. We appeal to the parents to send their children to schools so that one academic year is not wasted. God forbid, if there is curfew clamped during the schedules, we will not hesitate to give relaxation. However if there are disturbances, troublemakers will be held responsible," said Peerzada Syed, Jammu and Kashmir's education minister.
The Centre's initiatives to release detained stone-pelters, review disturbed areas and improve education infrastructure have been rejected by separatists. But others view it with a mixture of cynicism and hope.
"First Omar Abdullah goes to the Centre asking for a revocation of AFSPA, then Centre tells him, it is your baby. If this was supposed to be done , Omar Abdullah could have done it much earlier. Why are they playing with us like a football?" Engineer Rashid, an independent MLA said.
"It is a step which has come too late but, never the less, there is hope. I feel right now statesmanship is needed from both the sides to capitalise on the measures which have been announced by the Centre," said Raja Muneeb, a Srinagar resident
Perhaps, Omar Abdullah's appeal to delink at least education from the conflict was a step in this direction. After the uncertainty of the past 4 months, Sunday seemed to be the first tentative ray of hope.
On Saturday, the Centre set an eight point agenda for peace in Kashmir. Some of its main points are:
* A new group of interlocutors will begin the process of a sustained dialogue with all sections of people in Kashmir. Sources have told NDTV the head of the interlocutors will be a politician.
* In a solid reach out move, over 245 young men and women arrested for stone pelting and violating the public security act will be released.
* The number of check points and bunkers in Srinagar and other towns will be decreased.
* The other big step includes Centre's decision to ask the Unified Command to review disturbed areas, so if a certain areas is declared not disturbed, then Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFPSA) will not apply in that area.