Cab secy asks for progress review

The ground is being prepared for the new government to act on economic front as soon as it takes over. To help the new government decide fast,critical areas that need immediate attention would be identified alongwith possible corrective measures.

In this regard,Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar is believed to have written to all Union secretaries to analyse the performance of their ministries and also suggest a line of action for the new government. Sources say these steps are probably being taken with an awareness that because of the general elections,the country might not lose critical time to respond to the economic situation. The sectors which can receive more emphasis are agriculture,manufacturing and rural development. Sources say this exercise will also sensitise the new leadership against making unrealistic populist pronouncements.

Interestingly,this step coincides with the Planning Commissions move to involve private agencies in assessing the fiscal health of states and also the level of achievements in the monitorable targets set for the 11th Plan. The agencies likely to be involved in the process could be ICRIER,CMIE and NCAER. Cabinet secretary had also told the state chief secretaries in a meeting on January 31 to expedite the pace of implementation of various schemes and programmes of the government and identify the constraints being faced by the states.