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Kashmir government to discuss autonomy report

By IANS,

Jammu : The Jammu and Kashmir government will discuss Wednesday the controversial report by a prime minister’s working group that has recommended autonomy to the troubled state, an official said Sunday.

The official said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who will chair the Dec 30 cabinet meeting, is keen to discuss the way forward on autonomy. He has asked Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammed Sagar to draft an action plan.

“The contours of the action plan would be discussed in the cabinet meeting,” the official told IANS requesting anonymity.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s fifth working group tasked to suggest measures on how to improve centre-state relationships in Kashmir submitted its report to the chief minister last week.

While the ruling National Conference welcomed the report, its partner, the Congress, has too said it has no problems with the restoration of autonomy to the state.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has categorically stated that it will oppose any such move.

The autonomy as per the 1952 Delhi-Kashmir accord means giving the Jammu and Kashmir government more powers over all affairs except for foreign affairs, defence and communications.

Manmohan Singh had formed five Kashmir working groups in 2006. Four of them had submitted their reports in January 2007.