PM to arrive in JK to chair round-table on May 24

Srinagar, May 23: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit during which he will chair the second round-table conference besides reviewing political, security and economic situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister will arrive here in the afternoon and straightway attend for the first time a Unified Command meeting where he would be briefed about the overall security situation besides various measures taken in view of the recent militant attacks in several parts of the state.

At the meeting attended by senior officials of the Army, state police, para-military forces and intelligence agencies, he will also discuss the much-talked about troop reduction in the Kashmir valley.

Dr Singh will then chair the second round-table, which comes nearly three months after the first conference held in New Delhi on February 25.

The round-table was earlier scheduled to be held for a day on May 25, but was later rescheduled for two days on May 24 and 25 to accommodate views of different shades of opinion in the state.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will also meet Jammu and Kashmir government officials to review the Reconstruction Plan launched last year to boost infrastructure facilities in the state.

''He will be briefed by the state government about the amount spent under the package and also about future requirements,'' Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had said recently.

The Prime Minister is likely to address a news conference here on may 25 at the conclusion of the second round-table conference.

Dr Singh would be accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur who is expected to visit some orphanages and destitute homes in Srinagar.

Dr Singh would be accompanied by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair, Home Secretary V K Duggal, Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra besides several senior central officials.

UNI

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