State Governors, Lt Governors to meet for two days

New Delhi, Sep 13 (UNI) Governors from 28 states and administrators from 7 Union Territories will assemble here on September 16 and 17 to discuss various issues including security and development.

The recent demonstrations in Jammu and Kashmir and their fallout, spreading of Maoist terror and increasing activities of terrorist outfits like SIMI, would be prominently dicsussed at the two-day meet, which will be inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil, official sources said today.

This is the first conference to be presided over by the President.

Steps taken by various state governments for modernisation of police forces to meet the threat, posed by Maoists and outfits like SIMI, would also be discussed at the Conference, the sources said.

Although the Conference is likely to be dominated by issues of terrorism and internal security, issues of development, climate change and rising food prices and the steps taken by respective state governments to counter these challenges would also be taken up, the sources added.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also address the Conference.

UNI RB SW BD1825