Montek calls for hard decisions

Ahluwalia said a “mid-term review” of the Tenth Plan would be taken up immediately to ensure that the policies outlined in the CMP are implemented. Ahluwalia added that PM Manmohan Singh had directed the Commission on Sunday to accord high priority to finding ways to implement the programmes and policies of CMP.

Ahluwalia criticised the previous NDA government for neglecting agriculture and infrastructure sectors which resulted in less than six per cent average annual growth rate in last 5-6 years. According to him, “growth has declerated in agriculture in the last five years”.

Asked if the Vajpayee government had neglected agriculture, Ahluwalia said “I would like to say that it (agriculture) deserved much more attention.” Further, even as there was a policy framework for the development of infrastructure, the “environment was not very conducive for the required public-private partnership” to achieve the desired level of infrastructure, he added.

Ahluwalia said employment-generation programmes would be taken up in the mid term review. “A programme which has been effective in one state may not be effective in another state”, he said.

Four of the seven newly-appointed members of the panel, Balchandra Mungekar, Abhijit Sen; Syeda Hamid and Anwar-Ul Hoda were present.