The Hindu Business Line : NDA vows to make India economic superpower

The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, displaying the election manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance in the Capital on Thursday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , April 8

THE National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday promised to ensure 8 to 10 per cent GDP growth rate on a sustainable basis over the next five years with eradication of poverty by 2015, besides underlining its commitment to making "India an economic superpower through a seven-pronged strategy".

Releasing the NDA manifesto for elections to the 14th Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said the NDA alliance agenda was for "development, good governance and peace", even as he said in response to a question that the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya as "a national issue" that could not be ignored and the NDA favoured an early and amicable solution to it.

The seven-pronged strategy would go a long way in making India "a food factory of the world, the global manufacturing hub, the service provider to the world, the centre of knowledge economy, the global tourism destination, the global healthcare destination and the global higher education destination".

Stating that the NDA believes that GDP growth at an annual rate of 8 to 10 per cent on a sustainable basis is achievable, it said, "Clear five-yearly milestones for economic growth and social development would be set for each State and district".

Recalling that the NDA's agenda for Election 1999 had promised to facilitate creation of one-crore additional employment and self-employment opportunities each year, the latest poll manifesto said that this commitment would continue through a three-pronged strategy.

This entails sustaining a high GDP growth rate of 8 to 10 per cent, raising the employment elasticity of growth by promoting employment-generating sectors of the economy and enlarging the scope of Government-run employment generation schemes like food-for-work Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana. A national e-governance strategy is to be unveiled before August 15 for people-friendly governance.

On agriculture, it said the Prime Minister would launch the Second Green Revolution on August 15, comprising programmes for the completion of all ongoing irrigation projects in five years, National Mission for Rainfed Agriculture, campaign to promote water-efficient irrigation systems with the motto "more crop per drop".

It promises five-fold increase in food processing in five years, operationalisation of Rs 50,000-crore Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan Fund for agriculture credit and rural infrastructure, unified food law and an independent Food Regulatory Authority, Rs 1,000-crore Mandi Development Fund, revamping of the Food Corporation of India and action plan for massive crop diversification.

On rural development, the NDA agenda promises PURA (provision of urban amenities in rural areas) scheme in 10,000 rural clusters to be launched before August 15, and village electrification to be completed by 2007 to cover one-crore households and one-lakh villages. Sanitation to all the 8.4-crore uncovered rural households has been promised in the agenda.

On infrastructure, it promised National Drinking Water Programme within 30 days after returning to power, drinking water supply to all villages by 2007 through "Swajaldhara" scheme, 50,000 MW of additional power generation capacity in five years, "Sampoorna Sadak Connectivity" to improve the entire road network seamlessly and a new programme for upgradation of state highways and district roads.

The NDA agenda assures comprehensive railway reforms, Rs 20,000-crore Remote Area Rail Sampark Yojana to be implemented to complete all the pending projects in backward areas in five years, Rs 5,000-crore Railway Station Improvement Fund, besides metro rail in many cities with at least one super-speed bullet train project.

It said `Open Skies' civil aviation policy would be announced in 30 days if it returned to power. New international airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad would be completed within three to four years and there would be a new policy on broadband communication. Telephones would increase from 7 crore to 30 crore and on average, every alternate Indian family to have a telephone in five years.

For industry and commerce, there would be an action plan within six months to make India a global manufacturing hub and there would be world-class industrial park in every State. Petroleum and Natural Regulatory Board would be set up and there would be separate Ministry for International Trade.

Organised retail trade on international pattern would be promoted, besides putting in place "Behtar Bazaar Plan" for improving the infrastructure of bazaars (markets) and online multi-commodity exchanges. The NDA also promises a national policy for the development of entertainment industry and promotion of information technology industry to reach the export target of $50 billion by 2008.

There would be an action plan to make India a global platform for research, design and development to achieve the reversal of "Brain-Drain" into "Brain Gain".

For textile sector, Rs 1,000-crore Kabir Integrated Development Project and a Task Force for a ten-fold increase in investment in garment industry are promised.

On social development, a special "Social Development Fund" of Rs 1,00,000 crore would be invested over five years in education, healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, drinking water for the poor with "Akshaya Patra" and a national mid-day meal programme to be made operational.

There would be an Rs 1,000-crore fund to improve the infrastructure of primary healthcare centres in backward areas. The agenda also promises to facilitate construction of 30-lakh additional houses each year and ten Indian cities would be developed as Global Cities with City Governments with 20 new cities and satellite towns.

Promising a comprehensive governance reforms, the NDA pitches for an Rs 1,000-crore fund for modernisation of courts, reforms and reorganisation of the Planning Commission and a National Judicial Commission and Judicial Procedural Reforms Committee.

HIGHLIGHTS

. NDA promises to create 10 million jobs a year next 5 years.

. To unveil plan in 6 months to make India world manufacturing hub.

. Says FDI limit in insurance will be reviewed.

. Vows reforms in banking, foreign investment, capital market.

. Promises consolidation of state-run banks.

. Aims to cut States' revenue deficits to nil by 2006.

. Says pension reforms will be speeded up.

. Promises to allow 26 per cent FDI in retail sector.