Cover
Story
GIVING
INDIA A NEW DIRECTION
 |
|
Dr.
Ravni Thakur
|
One
Year of the UPA Government's Achievements
The
UPA Government completed one year on the 22nd
of May in office this year. It has been an eventful and
successful year for the government. Despite parliamentary
boycotts by the Opposition NDA that has still not learned
to behave like a responsible opposition, our government
has put in place several schemes and measures that reflect
the promises made in its Common Minimum Programme. The Congress,
under the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi and under the
excellent administration of our Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan
Singh, has taken the lead in ensuring that this programme
is implemented.
The
aim of the Congress Party has always been an inclusive economic
and social nationalism. We have always endeavoured, ideological,
to give India's many diverse cultures and communities an
equal space in the country's development and its decision
making. Our emphasis, since the time of Jawaharlal Nehruji,
has been to create a sense of national interest that is
not fractured by religious and ideological imperatives,
either of the left or the right. And throughout its tenure,
the Congress has ensured that a democratic culture deepened
and matured. That is why, today, we are the only third world
country where the voice of the people is always heard. And
it was the voice of the people that brought the Congress
back to power.
A
look at the government's achievements over the past year
prove that we the UPA government came to power because the
people were fed-up with the communal and pro-rich policies
of the NDA. As the Prime Minister pointed out in a speech
recently, "From the National Minimum Programme we have
identified seven priority sectors for focused attention.
These are agriculture, water, education, health care, employment,
urban renewal and infrastructure". The aim of the government
has been to ensure that economic growth is firmly wedded
to ensuring the common man does not get left behind. Let
us look at how the UPA government has gone about achieving
these goals.
A
Special Focus on Rural India
India
is a rising economy with an average growth rate of 7-8 percent.
However to maintain this momentum the most important thing
is to raise agricultural growth. This was an area that has
remained neglected for the past many years. The UPA government
is committed to correcting this neglect. It has already
initiated several programmes to this effect. Called Bharat
Nirman, the new deal for rural India hopes to transform
rural India. The most important being increasing investment
in agriculture and ensuring that credit flow to farmers
are stepped up. Credit facilities have been stepped up by
almost thirty percent. Alongwith this, the government has
focused on increasing and investing in irrigation facilities.
The Union Government has reconstituted the National Commission
on Farmers and has increased funds for rural research. The
government has also focused on dry land farming and watershed
and wasteland development projects will also be taken up.
Alongwith
a focus on agricultural productivity, the UPA government
has put in place policies that will raise the standard of
living in rural India overall. It has focused on the development
of rural infrastructure, roads, connectivity for rural markets
and set up a National Committee on Rural Infrastructure.
The rural infrastructure Development Fund has been revived
with a corpus of Rs. 8,000 crore in 2004-05. Along with
this the government's focus on rural education is also designed
to bring rural India into an integrated development basket.
The mid-day meal scheme for school children has been further
developed the primary schools will be given better facilities
and more funds.
Alongwith
infrastructure development, a special health package for
rural India has also been initiated. The government plans
to drastically reduce the occurrence of maternal and infant
mortality. It also plans to provide each village with a
health worker who can manage small problems. District level
hospitals will also be strengthened.
Building
an Educated Nation
India
is a study in contrasts. Many different time zones coming
together to form this country. On the one hand we have the
capacity to build and send satellites, the best educated
service manpower and yet we also have one of the lowest
levels of literacy, especially where women are concerned.
Like on other issues, the UPA charter emphasizes equality
in educational access as well. The UPA government has highlighted
its goal for achieving full literacy in the country by raising
public spending on primary and secondary education. One
of the first steps it took was to impose a 2 percent cess
for education on both direct and indirect taxes. This fund
will go towards financing primary and secondary school development.
The government's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, constituted under
the Chairmanship of Prime Minister for the first time, will
be monitored from the top to ensure that the increased funding
is judiciously and effectively used. Further the scope of
mid-day meals has also been widened. The government has
also given special attention to the educational development
of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Several regional
universities like those of Manipur and Allahabad are being
given a national status. A proposal has also been sanctioned
to set up an IIM in the North East and aid development of
Kashmir University.
Health
as Priority
A
healthy population is the true capital of a nation and given
the levels of poverty that still exist in our country, the
UPA government's goal of providing affordable health care
is one of its priorities. While we have excellent private
health care institutions, accessed today even by the West.
A National Rural Health Mission is being launched to oversee
the needs of rural health care delivery. A cadre of health
workers will be developed to ensure that any population
center with over one lakh people has a functional hospital.
Like
in its other policy decision, the UPA administration, run
as it is by one of India's ablest intellectuals, Dr. Manmohan
Singh, has an integrated view of health care. The Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme and the National rural Food
for Work programme will also enable the district administration
to identify those living below the poverty line and bring
health services to them. Also there is a Universal Health
Insurance Scheme for poor families. These schemes are also
designed to improve the health care of elderly in the country.
Creating
a Knowledge Economy
Today
India's growing economic clout is closely linked with the
excellence of its information technology and its knowledge
based service industry. This in turn is linked with the
excellence of our educational institutions. The government
has come forward with a Broadband Policy - 2004 designed
to increase internet penetration in the country and provide
reliable connectivity for government to government communication
up to Block level. Unless we can bring our rural areas into
the internet revolution taking place all over the world,
India's claim to being the technological power of the future
will remain an uneven dream. By allowing our common man
access to records and data at will is an empowering idea.
It cuts out the middleman and takes away the levels of corruption
that can exist in things like land records and other areas
of governance. The UPA government has also brought in the
Right to Information Act, an act that will be further strengthened
and made effective by increased internet and technological
accessibility.
Strengthening
India's Economic Competitiveness
The
UPA government while committed to creating a social security
net for the common man, has also taken steps to ensure that
the national economy is better managed. VAT has been introduced
and implemented in 22 states. This will create a uniform
structure for taxation, thus removing red tape and paper
work and create a uniform single market across the nation.
The development of commodity futures market and reform of
laws pertaining to agricultural marketing have also been
initiated. The government has also set up several think
tanks and commissions to analyse and provide solutions to
bottle-necks that hamper our economic productivity and competitiveness
and reduce the tyranny of licence raj.
Several
measures have also been taken to boost India's global competitiveness
and attract FDI into the country. Recently the Cabinet has
passed the bill to create Special Economic Zone in specific
parts of the country. This will bring in foreign capital
into the country that can create jobs and revitalize our
manufacturing sector. Other sectoral initiatives designed
to address the sugar, jute, textiles and steel industries
have also been taken. A comprehensive strategy to modernize
our textile industry has also been put in place. In India,
more than 90 percent of our labour force works in the unorganized
sector. It also contains the poorest of the poor. The UPA
government is determined to provide and create effective
schemes for micro-credit for workers in this sector. These
are designed to allow access to credit for small businesses
and for the self-employed.
In
order to increase India's participation in the global market,
India has also signed several Free Trade Agreements with
other countries. Chief amongst these in Singapore and Sri
Lanka. The government's commitment to reduce tariffs to
ASEAN levels will enable domestic industry to become more
competitive.
Our
Foreign Policy Perspective
The
UPA government is firmly committed to enhancing India's
role in international affairs and it is aware that peace
in the neighbourhood is of intrinsic importance, not just
for the economic development of the subcontinent but if
we are to give the peoples of our border regions a normal
life. The UPA government has therefore prioritized its relations
with SAARC nations. Our improved relationship with Pakistan,
the successful opening of the bus route from Srinagar to
Muzzaffarabad, the recent joint declaration signed between
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf, all
speak of the commitment to peace that we have made. At the
same time, India will not compromise on its security needs.
The
UPA government has also enhanced economic and strategic
cooperation with both China and Japan. Here again the successfully
concluded visits of the Prime Minister of China and Japan
show case India's growing relationship with other Asian
powers. India's relations with South East Asia have improved
all around. Our relationship with America has also improved
and our traditional relationship with Russia continues to
remain strong.
Under
the UPA government, our relations have improved all around
and today India is poised to integrate its international
trade and foreign policy, ensuring that India plays a leading
role in the region and in world affairs. Our bid for the
UN Security Council seat reflects the strong basis of our
nations security and international relations. India has
been an active participants in all United Nations led programmes
and believes firmly that the roles of multilateral and international
organizations must be supported and further enhanced to
ensue that we do not once again fall prey to big power politics.
Without
doubt, the UPA government in the past year has proved that
it deserved the people's mandate to rule and in the next
five years we will continue to fulfill the promises that
we have made to the people. Our Party President, Smt. Sonia
Gandhi and her excellent relationship with the Prime Minister
will ensure that the government successfully completes five
years in power.
