Centre serious on recommendations by Kashmir working groups

Srinagar, Jun 14 (UNI) The Centre today said it was looking with ''utmost seriousness'' the recommendations of the four working groups constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve the contentious Kashmir issue.

Addressing a news conference here, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said it has been decided to set up a mechanism for implementation of the recommendations of the working groups.

He said a committee headed by him had already been constituted to deal with the issue. ''It has been decided that we should now try to see how to carry the process further,'' Mr Gupta added.

The Union Home Secretary said he had a series of meetings with senior officers of the state government over the matter.

Mr Gupta, who arrived here along with senior central officers, also met Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

He discussed in detail the recommendations of the four working groups set up by the Prime Minister during the second round-table conference here in May last year. The working groups had submitted their recommendations at the third round-table conference in New Delhi on April 24.

The Union Home Secretary also discussed the outcome of the third round-table conference.

During his meeting with Mr Azad, Mr Gupta apprised him about the action taken on various points of economic and social importance emerged during the three round-table conferences.

''Our firm view is that the recommendations of the working groups are being taken seriously both by the state and central governments and will be implemented in due course of time,'' he added.

UNI