Ahead of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir next week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed the Centre’s readiness to engage in a dialogue with separatist groups in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, he confirmed that he would be visiting the state shortly to inaugurate some railway projects.

“As far as negotiations with separatist groups are concerned, the specific purpose of my visit is not to start negotiations, or to engage in negotiations. I have always maintained that it is our sincere desire to engage all sections of the public opinion to find practical, pragmatic solutions to the problems facing the state,” he said.

Noting that that there were some political groups which were outside the mainstream, he said the Centre would ask them to engage in a constructive dialogue with it.

Manmohan Singh recalled that his government had held two-three rounds of talks with the separatist Hurriyat Conference in the past. “They promised to come back with specific suggestions…I am still waiting for them.”

Officials said the PM would be visiting Kashmir on October 28-29 during which he would inaugurate a 12-km rail line connecting Anantnag with Qazigund, marking the completion of the rail project in the Valley. He is also expected to review the Dal project besides progress in other developmental schemes under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan.

Describing the Naxal violence in certain parts of the country as the biggest internal security threat, Manmohan Singh the government would do everything to deal with the menace. He said the law and order machinery has to be tightened but at the same time social and economic causes which have led to alienation of the people need to be looked into.

The PM said it was the responsibility of the Centre and the states to jointly fight the Maoists. He declined to make public the discussions he had held with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee on the Maoist violence.