Gowda flays move

In his inaugural address at the 81st annual conference of the Indian Economic Association IEA here, Gowda said 8220;unfortunately, we are shifting our attention from water to super highways. Instead of networking the country through proper roads, we want to build highways.8221;

8220;But super highways require goods to be transported and, without priority for agricultural development, I do not know whether the huge capital costs for the construction of such super highways would become recoverable,8221; Gowdasaid.

In terms of priority, Gowda said, he would have preferred to provide all-weather roads to all villages, good roads in capital cities and probably widened and improved NH6 and NH7 which, the former prime minister said, would have achieved the purpose.

Stating that checking inflation should be a top priority in government policy, Gowda expressed concern over the possibility of fiscal deficit touching even seven per cent during the year.

Coming out against measures like drawing on the oil pool and making banks purchase the disinvested shares to bring down the deficit, he said the financial structure would be further weakened by government8217;s move to 8220;pass the buck8221; on to the enterprises and to the banking system in this manner.Gowda said he was puzzled over government8217;s move to print and bring under circulation thousand rupee notes.