Srinagar:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Kashmir on Monday after a gap of seven months to take forward his peace initiative in the state and is expected to renew his offer for talks with separatists.
Security has been heightened in the Valley for the two-day visit during which Singh will hold talks with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and leaders of various political parties to review the progress of the recommendations made during the two sessions of the Round Table Conference chaired by him.
At the last session in 2007, five working groups were set up to resolve the issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. The groups, which have submitted their reports, dealt with improving Centre's relations with the State, furthering the relations across the Line of Control (LoC), giving a boost to the State's economic development and good governance.
The groups also recommended confidence-building measures across different segments of society including rehabilitation of the destitute families of militants and reviewing the cases of detainees.
As part of this process, Singh will hold consultations with various political parties of the state over the progress made on recommendations made by these working groups.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the 'quiet diplomacy' initiated by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with separatist leaders failing to make any headway as the Hurriyat refused to join it owing to pressure from militant groups.
Singh is likely to renew Centre's offer to hold talks with the separatists while asking them to work towards restoring normalcy in the state.
Official sources said Army apprehended a possible suicide attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba during Singh's visit but the state police and central security agencies dismissed the threat perception, saying it was unsubstantiated.
A 'hartal' call has been given by pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani which was supported by Aasiya Andrabi of hardline separatist group Dukhtaran-e- Millat.
The Prime Minister will address a convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir Agricultural University in Srinagar. Governor N N Vohra, who is also the university's Chancellor, had invited Singh to the event.
It will be for the second time that the Prime Minister will be visiting the Kashmir Valley after he got a second term last May. He was in Srinagar last October.
Singh will also be accompanied by Union Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Prithviraj Chavan.
The ruling National Conference is likely to seek early talks on providing greater autonomy in the state as recommended by Sagir Ahmed Committee set up by the Prime Minister, party sources said.
A meeting with senior bureaucrats and Army and police officials was also being planned to discuss the spurt in infiltration from across the border.
Security has been heightened in the Valley for the two-day visit during which Singh will hold talks with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and leaders of various political parties to review the progress of the recommendations made during the two sessions of the Round Table Conference chaired by him.
At the last session in 2007, five working groups were set up to resolve the issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. The groups, which have submitted their reports, dealt with improving Centre's relations with the State, furthering the relations across the Line of Control (LoC), giving a boost to the State's economic development and good governance.
The groups also recommended confidence-building measures across different segments of society including rehabilitation of the destitute families of militants and reviewing the cases of detainees.
As part of this process, Singh will hold consultations with various political parties of the state over the progress made on recommendations made by these working groups.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the 'quiet diplomacy' initiated by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram with separatist leaders failing to make any headway as the Hurriyat refused to join it owing to pressure from militant groups.
Singh is likely to renew Centre's offer to hold talks with the separatists while asking them to work towards restoring normalcy in the state.
Official sources said Army apprehended a possible suicide attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba during Singh's visit but the state police and central security agencies dismissed the threat perception, saying it was unsubstantiated.
A 'hartal' call has been given by pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani which was supported by Aasiya Andrabi of hardline separatist group Dukhtaran-e- Millat.
The Prime Minister will address a convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir Agricultural University in Srinagar. Governor N N Vohra, who is also the university's Chancellor, had invited Singh to the event.
It will be for the second time that the Prime Minister will be visiting the Kashmir Valley after he got a second term last May. He was in Srinagar last October.
Singh will also be accompanied by Union Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Prithviraj Chavan.
The ruling National Conference is likely to seek early talks on providing greater autonomy in the state as recommended by Sagir Ahmed Committee set up by the Prime Minister, party sources said.
A meeting with senior bureaucrats and Army and police officials was also being planned to discuss the spurt in infiltration from across the border.
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