PM flies to the Valley on wings of hope

And if he incorporates the inputs to his speech from Kashmir, he will recite Sardar Jafri’s poem of hope, extend a fresh invite for an unconditional dialogue, appeal to all separatist groups to join the process, seek Pakistan’s help to end violence so that the people of Kashmir can be the direct beneficiaires of the Indo-Pak peace process.

In his tradition of an economist, he is expected to directly address the Kashmiri youth and talk of measures that will instil confidence among them to be part of the new liberalising, global economy. He will tell them that Kashmir, which has been a hotbed of trouble, could now promise to be an epicentre of growth, development and peace.

To that effect, he will unveil the blueprint of a massive ‘‘reconstruction plan’’ for the entire state that emphasises jobs and development of infrastructure.

Sources told The Indian Express that Singh’s office has sought a detailed input from Srinagar to give his speech an ‘‘accessible, local flavour.’’

It is learnt that Singh was sent the lines of Sardar Jafri’s famous verse, dubbed as the poem of hope. ‘‘Guftagu band na ho baat pe baat chale (Let talks never stop, let the dialogue continue), Subah tak shaam-e-mulakat chale (Let the meeting go on from morning to night), Hum pe hanste huay taaron bhari yeh raat chale (And let the smiling, starry night continue).

Singh is also expected to emphasise the unconditionality of the Centre’s dialogue process, which has become important especially as the recent confusion created by contradictory statements made by Union Home minister Shivraj Patil.

‘‘There is every likelihood that he (Singh) will also clear the doubts about Centre’s policy on Hurriyat demand to let them go to Pakistan,’’ a source said.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said that Singh will have a political package along with the reconstruction plan that the state government has been discussing with the PMO for the past two months. ‘‘We were keen that unlike the economic packages announced by visiting Prime minister’s earlier, this time the package should not be just a high-decibel symbolism alone. The PM has decided to set up a high-level committee to monitor the progress on every segment of the reconstruction plan and not leave it unattended after he leaves Srinagar,’’ a senior official in Chief Minister’s Secretariat said.

The first Congress Prime Minister to address a public rally here after Rajiv Gandhi in 1987, Singh’s ‘‘reconstruction’’ plan will target Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Officials say the plan has been prepared after a series of meetings between the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Planning Commission, the state government and the various Ministries concerned.

A survey of previous packages by earlier Governments was also done as part of this exercise.

Development of infrastructure and employment-generation are understood to be the cornerstones of this reconstruction package.

PMO officials, while declining to elaborate, describe the package as ‘‘signifiant.’’ Besides segments on employment generation and long-term infrastructure development, a major package for rehabilitation of migrants will also be unveiled by the Prime Minister.

On the infrastructure front, the Prime Minister will announce a series of initiatives and investment packages for power generation, communications and highways as well as sewage and water supply.

The Planning Commission has already been consulted about the announcements so that funds for the Prime Minister’s package will be made available in this and the subsequent financial years. Singh is also scheduled to address a rally in Jammu.

He is visiting the Valley for the second time since 2002 when he had played a key role in forging an alliance between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress. Then, he had been a special emissary of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Singh will participate in the annual convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and inaugurate the south campus of University of Kashmir. He will also visit the Kashmiri Pandit migrant camps in Jammu and interact with leaders of minority community living in exile.

Said J&K deputy chief minister Mangat Ram Sharma: ‘‘We had a meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi in which we sought lifting of the ban on appointments, a package for horticulture and tourism sector. Plus we have also talked about power projects.’’

Singh will be accompanied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Special Adviser M K Narayanan, Centre’s interlocutor N N Vohra and Textiles Secretary Wajahat Habibullah.

He is expected to chair a meeting of the unified command of security forces, meet the council of ministers and various groups and representatives of a cross-section of the society, official sources said here today.