Just days before the Budget session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has spelt out thrust areas for his government and set it a six-month target for meeting an action plan which includes discontinuing subsidies, developing a comprehensive policy governing FDI in various sectors, a white paper on disinvestment and tackling terrorism, insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East as urgent national priority. The PM’s road map for 46 major ministries and departments, including his own office, was outlined in an official statement issued tonight. ‘‘The ministries are being asked to prepare a schedule of sequential steps with time frames for each thrust area so that progress can be benchmarked against these,’’ a PMO spokesman said. ‘‘The implementation of policies under these thrust areas, based on the list approved by the Prime Minister, would be tracked by the PMO on a regular basis,’’ the spokesman said. The Department of Economic Affairs has been asked to ‘‘formulate a national policy on subsidies which would identify target groups, goods and services, subsidy norms and exit strategy for existing subsidies which are inconsistent with the policy.’’ The department has been told to ‘‘review existing provisions relating to FDI and develop a comprehensive policy governing FDI in various sectors, keeping in view investment/development needs, strategic concerns and other relevant factors.’’ On the politically sensitive issue of fertilisers, the Fertiliser department has been asked to rationalise subsidies. Enacting a model comprehensive law to deal with criminal violence and encouraging states to adopt the law, implementing the J&K reconstruction plan, 2004, putting in place a National Disaster Management Act and closely monitoring the issue of Naxalism with a view to improve the situation over the next six months are among the priorities listed under the Home ministry. In the Defence sector, streamlining of procurement process to expedite acquisition while improving transparency and accountability besides preparing a consolidated Defence procurement manual that may serve as a uniform norm for all wings of the ministry, service headquarters and inter-services organisations have been identified as key areas. Institutional reforms in terms of decentralisation, simplification, transparency, accountability and e-governance have been made a general policy initiative. On the foreign policy front, India will pursue a ‘‘proactive’’ engagement with neighbours with a view to improve border management and lay emphasis on related infrastructure development. The Prime Minister also stressed on the need to utilise lines of credit with a view to creating opportunities for Indian businesses and improving access to needed raw material, including energy sources. Under the Information and Broadcasting ministry, the Prime Minister has focussed on increasing the outreach in J&K and the North-East and formulating new policies for FM radio and DTH to promote greater investment. Tabling a Bill on education as a fundamental right, ensuring nationwide coverage of mid-day meal programme, establishing National Commission on Education, setting up a Knowledge Commission and ensuring complete legal equality for women in all enactments and bringing a legislation addressing domestic violence formed the key thrust areas under the HRD ministry. Modernisation of railways with special emphasis on computerisation of freight traffic, improved signalling and railway tracks, formulating policy for outsourcing non-core railway activities and developing a policy framework to categorise backlog and future railway projects are among the areas identified under the Railway ministry. In the health sector, the Prime Minister has directed that a National Rural Health Mission should get started within the next six months besides laying stress on National AIDS Control Programme, stabilising population growth, improving control and management of drug administration and strengthening regulation.
