Home minister Rajnath Singh will visit Kashmir on Wednesday for the second time in a month as the Centre stepped up efforts to end seven weeks of violence that has left 67 dead and over 10,000 injured. He will undertake a two-day visit to the Valley to meet various stake-holders who wish to discuss the issues within the framework of the Constitution. His schedule includes meetings with J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, governor NN Vohra, top officials of the state government and security forces, representatives of various political parties as well as civil society delegations that may include school managements and Kashmiri Pandits. “There will be no separate invitation for the separatists, but if they want to come and talk to the Home Minister, they are welcome. The talks will take place within the constitutional framework.

He will be staying at the Nehru Guest House and anyone who wants to meet him can come there,” said a senior Ministry official. Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officials from the ministry are expected to accompany Rajnath Singh to the valley. The visit comes as relative calm prevailed in parts of Srinagar on Tuesday, after which the government lifted curfew from the uptown areas of the city from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the first time since July 9 when violent unrest erupted in the valley after killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. The focus of Singh’s visit, said home ministry officials, will be on quick employment generation through skill development schemes such as Udaan and Himayat and also through recruitment in paramilitary forces and India Reserve battalions.