Respected Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhiji,

Senior Leaders of the Congress Party,

My fellow Congress workers.

 

We are meeting here at the AICC Session today after a gap of almost two years. We last met in January 2006 in Hyderabad where we had discussed the working of the party and the Government. We had also taken many important decisions. In the intervening twenty two months, there have been many events, many elections. The Government has taken important steps on many fronts. There have been controversies on some issues as well. This is an opportune moment for all of us to reflect on the prevailing situation in the country, in the party and in the Government and think about the action we need to take in the future.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

It is a matter of great satisfaction that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has completed three and a half years in office under the leadership of the Congress Party. We have effectively demonstrated that the Congress Party can work in a mature, responsible and restrained manner in managing a coalition Government.

 

In May, 2004, the Congress Party and its allies got a thumping mandate to run the Government. The credit for this goes to our beloved leader, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, under whose leadership we fought the elections. We convinced the people of the nation that it is only our Government which can understand the problems of the 'Aam Aadmi' and which can effectively resolve these problems. In spite of being victorious in the elections, Smt. Gandhi, demonstrating her spirit of sacrifice and service to the nation, declined to be the Prime Minister of the country. However, it has been our good fortune that in the last three and a half years, we have continued to receive her cooperation, guidance and most importantly, her affection, in all that we have done.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

I would like to remind you of the conditions that prevailed across the length and breadth of the nation a few years ago. Do think about the conditions prior to 2004. Communal tensions were at their peak throughout the country and attempts were being made to divide people on the basis of religion, caste, language and religion. There is no need to remind you of what happened in Gujarat in 2002. As far as the law and order situation is concerned, terrorism was spreading across the country. The hands of terrorists could reach anywhere - be it Raghunath Mandir in Jammu, be it Akshardham Temple in Gujarat or be it our Parliament itself. Farmers were groaning under a burden of debt and in some states, there were waves of suicides going on. The economic condition of the country was not better either. Agriculture, rural areas, education, health care and backward regions were all neglected by the Government. As for foreign policy, our relations with our neighbours were going through ups and downs. On one hand, there were attempts to promote peace at Agra and Lahore and on the other, there was war in Kargil. All this was branded as 'India Shining'. Shining for whom? Shining for which region? Shining for which class of people?

 

The people of India comprehensively rejected this flawed concept of 'Shining India' and gave the UPA a mandate to run the country. It was a mandate for reducing communal tensions, a mandate for removing divisive agendas, a mandate to bring the nation back on the path of rapid economic growth and a mandate to keep the 'Aam Aadmi' and 'Aam Aurat' at the focus of all Governmental activities.

 

It has been � and will be � our duty to fulfill this mandate. We formulated the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) in collaboration with our allies and the NCMP has been the basis for all Government activities. We have worked hard to fulfill the promises made in the NCMP and can say with satisfaction that we have been successful in fulfilling most of these promises.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

We have done a lot in the last three and a half years. However, if we focus on the main achievements of our Government, there are a few that stand out sharply.

 

An important achievement has been that economic growth has averaged around 9% per annum. This growth rate is significant because in the absence of economic growth, we would not be able to deliver on our promises on all the other fronts.

It is easy to make promises. However, fulfilling them requires resources. Increasing the resources available to Government is possible only in a situation where economic growth is taking place at a rapid pace. So far, the UPA Government has presented four budgets, and it is a matter of pride that our expenditures on most development programmes have more than doubled on average in this period. The secret behind this massive expansion in financial outlays is the rapid economic growth that we have managed to bring about.

 

It is also a matter of satisfaction that the economic growth we are witnessing is not restricted to a few regions or a few sectors. As a result of our efforts, agriculture is growing at an annual rate of 4% and the manufacturing sector is growing at an impressive annual rate of 10%, much higher than what it was in the earlier decade.

 

We are also witnessing another beneficial effect of this growth. Poverty figures are declining in most parts of the country. I am confident that if we continue to keep the nation on this growth path, it will be possible to reduce poverty to a single digit figure within the next decade.

 

In addition to agriculture and manufacturing, poverty reduction has been made possible through the historic National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). The legal right bestowed by this act has enabled crores of rural families to secure employment and livelihood. We have already decided to expand this programme from the current 330 districts to all rural districts of the country with effect from 1st April 2008. I would like to remind each one of you that this Act is a promise made in the manifesto of the Congress Party and the credit for enacting this historic legislation goes to the Congress Party alone and no one else. It is your responsibility to take the message to every nook and corner of the country that this historic Act is a result of the efforts of the Congress Party and Smt. Sonia Gandhi.

 

Another significant achievement of our Government has been that we have managed to keep inflation under control in the face of many difficulties. When our Government came into office, the price of crude oil was about US $ 35 per barrel. It has now reached almost US $ 100 per barrel. Global prices of foodgrains, pulses and edible oil have seen a sharp rise. However, it has been our endeavour to shield our poor and vulnerable sections from the effects of this rise and we have been quite successful in this regard. The Wholesale Price Index is rising by around 3-4%, which is the lowest in the last twenty years.

 

In the field of development, we have started many new programmes on a massive scale - in education, in health care, for farmers, for women, for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, for rural and urban infrastructure. The most important point to be noted is that not only have we raised the outlays by two to three times, but we have also created a new architecture for development which will change the face of the nation in the next four to five years.

 

Today, as a result of our efforts, States are flush with funds for development. I distinctly remember that three years ago, when Chief Ministers of states came to meet me, they would only seek additional funds. Today, there is hardly any Chief Minister who asks for more funds. It is clear that we have more than fulfilled our mandate of making resources available. It is now the responsibility of state governments to ensure that these funds are properly utilized and see that outcomes match the outlays. You, as party men, have a role to play in this. You need to keep a watch and mount pressure on state governments to ensure that funds are well spent and the results we hope to see are visible.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

Moving away from development, I wish to talk on some other matters. The Congress Party and the UPA Government are firm believers in secular values. As a result of our efforts, there is an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity across the country. Communal violence and incidents are far less than before. Some cities and towns have suffered terrorist attacks. Many innocent citizens have lost their lives. However, the people in these places remained calm and courageous and maintained peace at all times. Our government will continue to fight terrorism at all levels and in all places and will be steadfast in its resolve.

 

However, I am happy that every citizen is busy working for a livelihood and for improving his material well being. This is an important accomplishment. After all, in the absence of peace and public order, all our development efforts would go waste. It is the responsibility of each and every Congress worker to carry the message that as long as the Congress Party is in office, we will not allow communal and divisive forces to gain an upper hand in any part of the country and we will ensure that every individual can live in an environment of peace and security. You need to take this message to every Indian citizen.

 

We had also promised that we would ensure that every section of society would be made active participants in our development process and that we would ensure equal rights for all. In this context, we have enacted many laws to empower our women. We have given them equal rights in property, protected them from domestic violence and have invested in their health and education. The Congress Party wants to increase the role of women in political life. We are committed to ensuring reservation for women in Parliament and in state Assemblies and are continuing with our efforts to build a consensus. We have given special attention to the problems of Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes and have filled up over 50,000 reserved posts through a special drive. We have given property rights to all those living in forests.

 

We appointed the Sachar Committee to find out the factional position about the conditions of minorities. The Committee has established that the conditions are unsatisfactory and a lot needs to be done to improve them. We have launched a new Prime Minister's 15 Point Programme with a view to improving their conditions. We have started a massive scholarship programme for minorities. In addition, we are giving special emphasis to 121 minority concentration districts where it will be our endeavour to improve educational, health and banking facilities. I am confident that our efforts would result in improving the living conditions of all marginalized groups in the country who would then become active beneficiaries of our growth processes.

 

Along with marginalized groups, we are giving equal emphasis to backward regions. We have launched a Backward Regions Grant Fund Scheme in 250 districts with an annual outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore. This programme, to be implemented through Panchayats, gives an opportunity to backward districts to catch up with other districts in the areas of basic infrastructure. We are paying special attention to the problems of Jammu & Kashmir and North-Eastern States. We are beginning to see positive results of our efforts. The situation in Jammu & Kashmir has significantly improved as a result of the peace process and the people of the State can now look forward to the future with hope.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

I do not want to go into great detail about all our development programmes. I would just like to focus your attention on two to three important areas. Education as a sector, has been the most favoured sector under our government and outlays have increased four to five times in these three and a half years. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan is running throughout the country and over twelve crore children are having a nutritious mid-day meal at schools. In the 11th Five Year Plan, we intend to increase the outlay on education five times and hope to spend Rs. 2,50,000 crore on this sector. We will help states open one top class school in each block and would work for universalizing secondary education. We are planning to increase the coverage of vocational education to one crore youth annually so that they become skilled and can secure gainful employment. We also will be opening 30 new Central Universities. We are not talking in thin air and are making resources available for all these initiatives. I am confident that as these initiatives will bear fruit, the youth of the country can look forward to the future with hope and confidence.

 

The second area we are laying great emphasis on is agriculture and the welfare of farmers. It is a matter of happiness that after a gap of many years, the growth rate in agriculture has averaged 4% per annum in the last three years. It is our endeavour to ensure that this is maintained in future. In order to boost agricultural production, we have started the National Food Security Mission and the National Krishi Vikas Yojna with an outlay of Rs.35,000 crore. We have increased the MSP for Wheat and Rice substantially on a scale never done before and the flow of credit to farmers has been more than doubled. Krishi Vigyan Kendras are functioning in every district of the country. In the coming weeks, we plan to take further steps to improve the condition of farmers.

 

I am confident that if our agriculture sector continues to maintain the same rate of growth, we would be able to see a revolutionary change in our rural areas. We are also investing in rural infrastructure through Bharat Nirman and plan to provide road, electric and telecom connectivity to every village. It is only through Bharat Nirman can we build a new India.

 

While emphasising the development of villages, we are not ignoring urban areas. The investment that is taking place in 63 cities through the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission is unprecedented. Roads and flyovers are being constructed. Water supply and sewage facilities are being improved. Metro and modern transport facilities are being built and slums are being improved. The renewal of our urban areas will lead not only to a better quality of life but also to an increase in employment opportunity on a massive scale.

 

At the same time, new infrastructure is being constructed rapidly across the country. New railway lines, new highways, new airports and new ports are being built. Wherever you look around and see, there is rapid and frenetic activity going on. This is a consequence of our government's sustained emphasis on infrastructure. In the next five years, we expect an investment of Rupees twenty lakh crores in infrastructure. I am sure that this investment will take place.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

Most people in our country are not engaged in formal employment in the organized sector. Most of them are self-employed. Over 90% of our working population is in this category and they do not have any social safety net. We have taken three important steps for their welfare. Firstly, we have revamped the earlier Old Age Pension Scheme and are now covering all citizens who are poor and over 65 years of age under this programme. Secondly, we are providing life and disability insurance cover to all the rural poor through the Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana. Thirdly, we have approved a health insurance programme for providing basic health care to all people. The National Rural Health Mission has been launched to provide basic medical facilities in the areas. All these programmes are new and if we manage to implement them effectively over the next two to three years, we will be able to provide a certain sense of economic security to crores of families.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

I am aware that many of you are concerned about the prices of certain essential commodities. To some extent, we will get some relief from the beneficial effects of our initiatives to increase agricultural output. However, we must keep in mind that global prices of basic food commodities have seen a rapid rise for a variety of factors. We do not have any control on these factors. However, it will be our constant endeavour to ensure that essential food items are available to the poor and needy at a reasonable cost. In order to ensure food security, we have expanded the Aganwadi programme and the Antodaya Anna Yojana and plan to improve the PDS system in the near future.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

On the external front, our Government has been successful in maintaining harmonious and friendly relations with all our neighbouring countries, with major powers of the world and with the countries of the Middle-East, Africa and Asia. We are in the process of finalizing a historic agreement with the United States which will enhance our prospects of increasing the production of nuclear power. There are doubts and misgivings in many minds about this agreement. If we see the pace at which our economy is growing, it becomes apparent that we will have to expand our power generation capacity on a massive scale. It is also apparent that it will be impossible to fulfill our needs solely through thermal and hydro electric power. We need to locate new sources of energy if we want to maintain our growth rate and we want to eliminate poverty. One possible source is nuclear power. This route has, so far, been closed. The Civil Nuclear Agreement is an effort to open closed doors so that we can obtain nuclear fuel and technology from other countries, such as USA, Russia and France, and remove the shortage of electricity in the country. You need to understand this reality and explain it to our people.

 

We have had a historic and long-standing relationship with the countries of the Middle-East and the Persian Gulf. Over fifty lakh citizens are working there for their livelihood. We have always sought peace in this region - be it Iraq, be it Iran or be it any other country. The bulk of our petroleum and energy requirements come from this region and our energy security is critically dependent on the conditions there. It has been � and will be � our effort to reduce tensions there and promote peace and harmony. We have also improved our relations with China, Pakistan, Russia, European Union, ASEAN, Japan and other countries. With Pakistan, it has been our consistent effort to improve our relations, to promote freer movement of people and to expand trade and economic relations. I have always believed that the destinies of our two nations are linked. Both nations should realize that terrorism and religious fundamentalism are common challenges to both the countries and are dangerous to peace and prosperity in the region. Therefore, it is essential that we co-operate to promote peace. It has been our effort to ensure that we have an environment of peace and harmony all around us so that the development options available to us can expand.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

All that I have said so far does not imply that there is nothing else to do. We have only created a new architecture of development, started new programmes and vastly expanded government expenditure. We need to now ensure that all these programmes run efficiently for the next five to ten years, that implementation is effective and that funds given to States are utilized in a proper manner. We have to ensure that the benefits of the expansion in health and education programmes reach every citizen of the country. The programmes begun for the welfare of women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities should reach every nook and corner of the nation. The Government needs to work hard in this direction. It is the solemn duty of every one associated with the Government - Ministers, peoples' representatives and employees - to work hard till the desired results are not achieved. State Governments should work hard to counter naxalism, terrorism and communal forces and promote an environment conducive to development. Congress party workers should take the lead in all these matters. We should ensure that poverty alleviation and improving the conditions in our rural areas remain at the forefront of all our efforts.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

 

Each one of you has an important role to play in all this. The history of the Congress party tells us that we need to be constantly in touch with the people, understand their desires and dreams and work for the nation's progress. It is the Congress party, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, which secured us our Independence and put us firmly on the path of progress. The vision of a prosperous, secular and just India that is in our Constitution is no other than the vision of the Congress party. The Congress party has always worked to ensure that every region and every section of society become active participants in the nation's progress and that each individual can go about his activities freely, without fear.

 

In the sixty years since Independence, the progress that we have seen is the result of Congress party's efforts and of its leadership. After Mahatma Gandhiji and Panditji, leaders like Indiraji and Rajivji kept us on the path of progress and economic development. They actively fought against divisive forces and worked to modernize the country. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Congress party continues to be popular in every state, to every section and class and in every age group. We need to work to maintain this and expand its popularity further.

 

The Congress party is not only a historic party but also a party which can take the nation into the future. India is a youthful country with a large population of young people. The youth of our country have disowned communalism and other such divisive agendas. They are interested in moving forward - educationally, economically and socially. Their desires, their dreams, their aspirations and their thoughts can take India into a bright future. It is necessary for the Congress party today to understand the dreams and aspirations of this young generation, adopt them and work for their fulfillment. At the same time, there are large parts of our vast nation where people continue to suffer from poverty and hunger. The Congress party must reach out to all these regions and to the people living there and give them a voice. It is only then that the Congress party can truly fulfill the vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru.

 

Our young leaders need to pay attention to this. I am confident that the young leaders of the Congress party like Shri Rahul Gandhi can win the minds and affections of our youth and take the Congress party and the nation to new frontiers and new heights of glory.

 

With these thoughts I would like to thank you and hope that we reflect deeply today about the future of our party and our nation.

 

Jai Hind.