Former Prime Minister of India - Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Concluding remarks by the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the 50th meeting of the National Development Council (NDC)

Friends,

We have had a very productive meeting today. The most productive outcome of the meeting has been the adoption of the Tenth Five-Year Plan document by the NDC.

I thank all of you for your active participation, your useful remarks and suggestions, and your unanimous endorsement of the Plan document. Let us now move forward to implement the mandate of the Tenth Plan with determination and in a spirit of strong -- rather stronger -- partnership between the Centre and the States.

I also wish to thank you for broadly endorsing the four specific proposals I had made in my opening remarks about setting up Sub-Committees of the NDC. Some Chief Ministers have pointed out that, in view of the serious nature of the reform initiatives involved, there is need to prevent delays and hence to make these Sub-Committees, empowered Sub-Committees.

If you agree, we shall constitute these as Empowered Sub-Committees.

Pantji has drawn our attention to a good point in the Tenth Plan document, which too will accelerate the implementation of reforms. It is to use Centrally Sponsored Plan schemes to promote policy and institutional reforms by linking the flow of funds to implementation of such mutually agreed reforms. We have already begun such initiatives in crucial sectors like irrigation, power, urban infrastructure, etc. I would like more areas to be brought under reform-based incentives.

Deputy Chairman, after a very lucid presentation, has remarked that, it is necessary for the various Central Ministries to prepare a detailed list of actions that need to be taken both in terms of policies and programmes. He has also stressed the need for these to be undertaken on a time-bound manner in consultation with the States. Some of the issues that delay project implementation are: environment and forest clearances; absence of clear norms for resettlement of project-displaced people; and complex and long-drawn procedures for land acquisition.

I endorse this. I would like a Priority Agenda of Action for the coming year to be drawn up, taking into account the specific directions contained in the Tenth Plan document.

The time-bound implementation of this Agenda would be monitored by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Reforms and facilitated by the Committee of Secretaries.

Several Chief Ministers have forcefully observed that we must, without further delay, evolve a national consensus on certain critical areas of reforms for speeding up investment and growth. Shri Chandrababu Naidu mentioned Labour Reforms. Dr. Jayalalithaa Ji mentioned the need for a Minimum Agenda for Fiscal Reforms. Shri Digvijay Singhji called for changes in environment and forest laws. Other Chief Ministers, too, have raised a few pertinent and pressing developmental issues.

Some of these issues are contentious. And speedy progress is possible if we build broad consensus. I propose to consult with the Chief Ministers at an early date with a view to strengthening a common understanding on these important issues.

With these words, I once again thank all of you for making this Golden Jubilee meeting of the NDC an important landmark in India’s history of planned development.

Thank you.