CoMmon promises

8226; No privatisation of crucial oil and power PSUs like ONGC and NTPC

8226; All privatisations will be considered case-by-case, to retail ONGC, IOC, HPCL, BPCL, GAIL, NTPC, SAIL and BHEL in the public sector while disinvestment takes place

8226; Step up public investment in agriculture and irrigation and employment-oriented growth in the country

8226; Encourage foreign institutional investors

8226; Major tax reforms, broadening of tax-payers base and a stable and conducive tax rate for growth and investment, detailed roadmap to be unveiled in Parliament in 90 days

8226; Strict action against market manipulators in tandem with further strengthening of SEBI

8226; Subsidies to be targeted sharply at the poor and the truly needy

8226; Committed to value-added tax

INDUSTRY

8226; Expansion of social security, health insurance and other schemes for unorganised sector workers such as weavers, handloom workers, fishermen, beedi workers

8226; Steps to be taken to revive industrial growth and put it on a 8216;8216;robust8217;8217; footing by continued deregulation

8226; Set up a national manufacturing competitveness council to provide continuing forum for policy dialogue to energise and sustain growth of manufacturing industry

8226; Full managerial autonomy to public sector banks, interest rates to provide incentive to both savers and investors and regulations to be made more effective for banks, particularly in cooperative sector

EDUCATION

8226; Six per cent GDP to be spent on education

8226; Take steps to reverse the trend of communalisation of education set in the past five years during the BJP-led NDA govt

8226; Introduce cess on all central taxes to finance the commitment to universalise access to quality basic education

8226; Set up a national commission on education to allocate resources and monitor programmes

8226; Ensure autonomy for institutions of higher learning and professional education

8226; Academic excellence and professional competence sole criteria for appointments to ICHR, ICSSR, UGC, NCERT etc

8226; Cooked nutritious mid-day meal scheme across the country in primary and secondary schools

HEALTH

8226; Raise public spending on health to at least two per cent of GDP over the next five years

8226; Introduce national scheme for health insurance for poor families, focus on primary healthcare

8226; Step up public investment in programmes to control communicable diseases, provide leadership to national AIDS control effort

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

8226; Highest Priority to building closer relations with neighbours

8226; Accord dialogue with Pakistan on all issues on a 8216;8216;sustained basis8217;8217; and 8216;8216;pursue seriously8217;8217; talks on the border issue with China

8226; Support peace talks in Sri Lanka that fulfil the legitimate aspirations of all linguistic and religious minorities within the territorial integrity and solidarity of the island nation

8226; Maintain the 8216;8216;independence8217;8217; of India8217;s foreign policy stance on all regional and global issues while pursuing closer strategic and economic engagement with the US

8226; Fully protect national interest, particularly of farmers at WTO negotiations

ADMINISTRATION

8226; Top priority to introduce state funding of elections

8226; Set up an administrative reforms commission for detailed blueprint for revamping the public administration system, emphasis on e-governance

8226; Make right to information act more progressive, participatory and meaningful

WATER RESOURCES

8226; Ensure long-pending inter-state disputes on rivers and water-sharing like the Cauvery are settled amicably at the earliest

8226; Examine the techno-economic feasibility of linking the rivers of the country starting with the south-bound rivers

8226; Install desalination plants along the Coromandel coast starting with Chennai to end acute drinking water shortage in cities

DEFENCE

8226; Repeal POTA while strictly enforcing existing laws to deal with terrorism

8226; Eliminate delays in modernisation of armed forces, 8216;8216;spend fully8217;8217; at the earliest all funds earmarked

8226; Set up a new department of ex-servicemen8217;s welfare in the Defence ministry

8226; Re-examine the long pending issue of one-rank, one pension, the document said.

8226; Appoint a full-time national security adviser

EMPLOYMENT

8226; Enact a national employment guarantee act to provide a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of employment on asset-creating public works programmes every year at minimum wage for every rural household

8226; Establish a national commission to examine problems facing enterprises in the unorganised, informal sector

8226; Revamp functioning of KVIC and launch new programmes for modernisation of coir industry, handlooms, prowerlooms, handicrafts etc

SCIENCE

8226; Mobilise the skills and expertise of scientists, technologists and other professionals working abroad for institution-building and other projects in the country

8226; Introduce programmes that strengthen country8217;s vast science and technology infrastructure

8226; Science and technology development and application missions to be launched in key areas covering both global leadership and local transformation

MINORITIES

8226; Enact a separate comprehensive law on communal violence under which investigations would be carried out only by central agencies and prosecution by special courts and payment of uniform compensation

8226; Await verdict of courts on Ayodhya while encouraging negotiations between parties to the dispute for an amicable settlement

8226; Amend Constitution to establish a commission for minority educational institutions to provide direct affiliation for minority professional institutions to central universities

8226; Set up a national commission to examine the issue of backwardness and adequate representation of all religious and linguistic minorities

INFRASTRUCTURE

8226; Encourage public-private partnerships in expansion of infrastructure like roads, highways, ports, power, railways, water supply and sanitation

8226; Committed to comprehensive programme of urban renewal and massive expansion of social housing in towns and cities, thrust on slum-dwellers

8226; Complete existing irrigation projects in three years.

8212;PTI