The Hindu Business Line : Fine-tune administrative reforms: Jaswant

ADMITTING that the benefits of the progress achieved by the country under the leadership of the NDA Government have not reached the masses to optimum level, the Union Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, stressed upon the need for administrative reforms for ensuring the benefits to reach the grass-root level.

He was addressing a gathering of industrialists, scientists, doctors, academicians and professionals at an `Intellectual Meet' under the title `India Shining: Samrudhi, Shakthishali, Swabhimani Bharath' here on Sunday.

The Finance Minister said, "Administrative reforms have to keep pace with the policy reforms brought in by the NDA Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee."

Responding to an array of suggestions made by the intellectuals at the meet, Mr Singh said, "Continuity is needed for the process already set in motion by the NDA Government."

Referring to the Pokhran episode in 1998 that led to the imposition of sanctions against India by several countries, he said India did not agree to any of those sanctions and successfully asserted its position as one of the dominant nations in the world. Stating that the whole world is now looking at India, he, however, said, "It was not a smooth transition."

"The country is now is a strong position with forex reserves touching over $107 billion. From the position of obtaining loans and assistance from IMF and other countries, we have now reached a stage of extending support not only to the smaller economies but also to the IMF. We have even prepaid external debt to the tune of over $3.6-billion. Of course, it is not end of the journey. We are clear that it is a beginning and a good beginning," the Finance Minister said.

On the emerging opportunities, he saidoutsourcing many knowledge related services from India is now being preferred by the developed economies. While admitting that the country has witnessed growth in several fronts, the intellectuals who spoke at the meet to express their views on `India Shining', however, pointed out that the benefits have not percolated to the rural masses of the country. They observed that socioeconomic disparities were still prominent across the country. Healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, infrastructure and natural resources management were some of the key areas that still lacked attention.