Thursday, May 18 2006 11:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Carrying forward the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir, the crucial second roundtable conference to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Srinagar has been rescheduled to begin on May 24 and will be spread over two days.

Official sources said the conference, which was earlier slated to be held on May 25, will now kick-off on the afternoon of May 24 prior to which the Prime Minister for the first time will chair a high-level meeting of the unified command to discuss various measures for Jammu and Kashmir, including the much talked about troop reduction in the Valley.

The conference has been spread out over two days to accommodate views from a wide section of the society, they said adding that the number of participants in the second RTC will be around 25.

During the crucial Unified Head Quarters meeting, a presentation will be made by the army, central paramilitary forces, state police and the intelligence bureau about the militancy situation in the state.

Singh will also review the progress made on the release of political detenues against whom there were no serious offences.

Importance is being attached to the second roundtable conference in the likelihood of some major separatist outfits including the Hurriyat Conference joining the parleys though the amalgam was still non-committal about its participation.

Singh will also meet state government officials to review the Reconstruction Plan launched to boost infrastructure facilities in the state.