NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked the Chief Ministers of all Congress-ruled States to focus on their Government's work in the areas of agriculture, social sector, education, and empowerment of weaker sections that would come up for review at the Chief Ministers' conclave in Chandigarh next week.

The two-day conclave to be held on October 7-8 would the first such exercise since the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power at the Centre in May last year. Otherwise, it would be the sixth in the series of such meeting organised by the party since 2001, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni told reporters on the sidelines of a function to mark the release of a postal stamp in memory of former Punjab Chief Minister Pratap Singh Kairon.

State-wide discussions

Ms. Soni said the first day of the session would begin with Ms. Gandhi's address and would be followed by intensive State-wise discussions on the implementation of the manifesto on thrust areas identified by Ms. Gandhi.

The second and concluding day would open with an address by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the spotlight would be on Central schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and the Right to Information, both of which emerged after the earlier Congress Chief Ministers' conclave and included in the Guwahati resolve.

The Sarv Siksha Abhiyan and National Rural Health Mission would also be taken up for discussion.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will attend the conclave. From the party side, all the general secretaries will be present.

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