Left wants draft CMP rewritten

If the Congress thought that a pro-Left Common Minimum Programme would save them a redraft exercise, they are in for a surprise. In a typica...

If the Congress thought that a pro-Left Common Minimum Programme would save them a redraft exercise, they are in for a surprise. In a typical 8216;give-them-an-inch, they8217;ll-ask-for-a-mile8217; case, the Left has stretched the leads given by the Congress to its 8216;8216;logical8217;8217; extreme.

The CPI and the CPI-M are now suggesting that the CMP include a promise that the new House will ensure the passage of Women8217;s Reservation Bill.

If the first draft of the CMP promised to guarantee for at least 100 days of employment at minimum wage, the Left suggestion is 8216;8216;why not 180 days which is the ILO recommendation8217;8217;.

And PSUs can only be disinvested 8216;8216;after tripartite consultations, including the workers8217;8217;: no 8216;8216;suitcase to suitcase8217;8217; taking a dig at the Congress8217; case-to-case proposal disinvestment of any PSUs; no disinvestment in strategic sectors 8212;in short, airlines/airport privatisation should be thrown out of the window.

The FDI flow, the Left proposes, should be channelised in such a manner that it goes specifically to either infrastructure or hi-tech and on beneficial terms that create employment.

On agriculture, the Congress suggested that rural credit be redoubled. The Left is saying 8216;8216;increase public investment8217;8217; and lower 8216;8216;interest rate8217;8217; on agricultural loans.

While the CPI8217;s suggesting that a new panel of experts be formed immediately to remove 8216;8216;distortions, blunders and communal toxication8217;8217; in textbooks and revamp apex bodies in education and culture, the CPIM, which is meeting tomorrow to discuss the CMP, wants a Bill to take care of agriculture and unorganised sector workers and a clear stand on non-Navratna PSUs.

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Though the Left admits that high priority should be attached to development and expansion of roads, ports, power, railways, airports, public investment has to be enhanced.

The CPI also want the Electricity Act, 2003, reviewed and, if necessary, amended. The present Act sets a deadline to bundle up the mostly non-performing debt-ridden state boards.

On foreign policy, no special privilege to US. The CPI wants the UPA government to 8216;8216;correct the distortions in the Middle East policy pursued by the previous regime and discontinue strategic alliance with Israel and renew its support to Palestine8217;8217;.

On health, the Left is not happy with 2 per cent public spending: they want it raised to 3 per cent of GDP. And, they want job reservations in thePSUs and the private sector. As far as land reforms goes, the Left will not allow any legislation reversing the land ceiling Act. Besides, they are asking for social afforestation, tribals8217; right to mineral and water resources, employment and equal right to education for economically backward classes.