We the unemployed

The CPM is stepping up heat on the government on its economic policies.

The CPM is stepping up heat on the government on its economic policies. In the latest issue of People8217;s Democracy, it turns the spotlight on unemployment: 8220;The Eleventh Plan contains a separate chapter on employment which shows that, leave alone the backlog of unemployment in the country, the employment growth has lagged behind the growth of the workforce during the Tenth Plan period. Thus, the backlog of unemployment is increasing. What is required is massive doses of public investment that can provide large-scale employment and, at the same time, also build the much-needed economic and social infrastructure. Though the Eleventh Plan envisages a 120.5 per cent increase in plan expenditure over the Tenth Plan, the fact is that during the Tenth Plan, only 82.5 per cent of projected investment could take place. Thus, if these targets need to be reached, then resources need to be mobilised adequately. This, however, is being planned not through increases in tax revenues, but through the reduction in non-plan expenditures, particularly subsidies meant to give some relief to the poor. On the other hand, according to the finance ministry estimates, during the Tenth Plan period, Rs 2.35 lakh crore were denied to the exchequer, thanks to a host of tax concessions. Instead of removing these concessions that only benefit the rich, the Eleventh Plan talks in terms of imposing further burdens on the common people through cuts in non-plan expenditures and subsidies. The hiatus between the two Indias, that we spoke of earlier, is, thus, set to widen further.8221;

SEZ CPM

The CPM has again called for changing the Centre8217;s SEZ policies. Says senior party leader Nilotpal Basu in an article, 8220;But that the design and the delivery of the policy are quite at divergence is becoming increasingly clear. The formal approvals which the commerce ministry has accorded for 404 proposals till November 30, 2007 established this beyond a shred of doubt. The consortia of promoters who have authored these proposals are, to a large measure, players in the real estate sector8230; The major shortcoming of the SEZ policy was pointed out by the Left in the very initial phase of its implementation. The first was the land question. What would be the nature of land which would be made available for SEZ? The Left was unambiguously opposed to indiscriminate conversion of agricultural land for SEZs. The second question was the freedom to the SEZ promoters to use the land. Only 25 per cent of the total land was to be used for the actual manufacturing/processing activity leaving huge tracts of land for commercial real estate development. The next question was of the extent of land. The minimum requirement was 250 acres for single product SEZs and 1000 acres for multi-product SEZs with no upper cap. Then the tax question. Not only were taxes exempted on excise, customs and income but even on profits, taxes were waived. And, finally, the complete silence on rehabilitation of those who will be displaced.8221;

Minority matters

The Sachar committee report had pointed out that Muslims fare worse than other communities in many fields, especially in West Bengal. A report on the convention of minorities attended both by West Bengal chief minister and party state secretary Biman Bose says, 8220;The present academic year has witnessed the upgradation of 104 junior high madrassas into high madrassas8230; In 100 madrassas, to start with, full course of computer and computer-related courses are taught with complete hardware and software support from the LF government.

8220;The Bengal minorities8217; development and financial corporation has issued loans to the tune of a total of Rs 153.23 crore to 28,515 beneficiaries8230; In the micro finance scheme for minority communities, there are 3,985 self-help groups8230; 8221;

The LF government has announced that every committee set up for selecting candidates for jobs must have 8220;adequate8221; number of people representing minority communities. In addition, posts must be kept open for members of the minority communities in all fields including security services. All rural and urban development schemes must 8220;attach importance8221; to minorities.