PM’s Self Appraisal 6/10
Posted : May 18, 2005 at 9:23 pm [IST]
Prime Minister himself rates his government’s performance at 6 on a scale of 10. How can India pull on with this, when the competition is talking of quadrupling its GDP, when millions of children are not getting education or proper food? Every one is worried at this performance except for some sycophants in the ruling parties.
His own finance minister affirms the reason, when he said comprehensive financial sector reforms could have led Prime Minister to assess a notch better his year-old government’s performance. He further adds that economic legislations such as those for employment guarantee and better partnership between the treasury benches and the opposition could have made the score even higher at 9/10. What he was short of was not the better partnership with opposition (NDA), unless he considers his alliance partner leftists as opposition.
And a national daily writes in its editorial: “Considering that just a few days before, the PM’s Office admitted the government has achieved only about 10% of what it set out to do, the PM has been more than generous in awarding marks.” I feel like agreeing with this. You move out and you can yourself smell that.
I shall agree 200% with some comments from the opposition leader Mr. Advani and more so with that made by Rahul Bajaj. Advani was addressing a CII meet. And he said “the first thing India must do to achieve a ‘double digit inclusive growth’ was to “marginalize the ideological and political influence of the Communists, for their policies will neither deliver inclusive growth nor double digit growth”.
And Bajaj said that any voice that is in favor of reforms is “cut short, not by the Opposition, but the supporting groups,” apparently referring to Left parties. He further suggested, “Two major parties should form a coalition government only for five years so that reforms are conducted speedily.”
And even the foreign media feels bad about the poor performance more than the local ones. The Economist, May 14th, 2005 has an editorial-’Not much to write home about’. India’s reformist prime minister has done remarkably little reform. “Mr. Singh deserves criticism too. He has failed to use the power of his office to fight for the reforms he believes in, and has been altogether too meek in twisting his allies’ arms.”
India needs economic reforms by the bushel. I think the whole country will be with me to join in an appeal that I make to leftists.
Be pragmatic. Avoid the ideological debate. Refer back to the cost of Great Leap Forward, and Cultural Revolution. You have seen the downfall of West Bengal that was your creation. Go for the economic liberalization. Heaven will not fall, if FDI is allowed in retail and banking or for that matter in other sectors. India wants prosperity and alleviation of poverty. Why not go by what your own Xiaoping Deng said, “It does not matter whether that cat is white or black; if it catches mice, it is a good catch.”
Read some good information of interest
Wanted: Men With Guts: By going after Bihar criminals like Shahabuddin, two officers have redefined governance
.
Orissa plans 56 mt more steel: Rs 200,000 cr investment expected for building production capacityAuto parts industry poised for higher growth: An industry with future
- Indra
Category: Indian politics |
Leave a Comment