The Hindu : Front Page : Job creation is agenda for 2006

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 03, 2006

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Job creation is agenda for 2006

Special Correspondent

Development programmes to be monitored: Manmohan

NEW DELHI: In a bid to ensure effective implementation of the United Progressive Alliance Government's National Common Minimum Programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting here on Monday to review the progress in 2005 and outline the priorities for 2006.

"It was a detailed meeting covering all areas, including defence and foreign policy," the Prime Minister's media adviser, Sanjaya Baru told newspersons.

The thrust of the discussion, while identifying the agenda for 2006, was on close monitoring of the projects launched last year such as the National Rural Employment Scheme, Bharat Nirman, the National Urban Renewal Mission and the National Rural Health Mission.

"A monitoring mechanism will be set up both at the Central and State level," Mr. Baru said.

Also, with `Rozgar badhao' (Increase employment) as the slogan for 2006, the Centre's efforts would be to increase avenues of employment with particular focus on labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and housing, apart from infrastructure, power, coal and roads, the railways and airports.

Education

Initiatives in education, including the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the mid-day meals programme, would also be monitored.

It was decided to ensure quarterly monitoring of project implementation in each area. Besides, new initiatives to ensure increased investment, especially in labour-intensive projects, would be pursued.

Another decision was to formulate policy initiatives to encourage generation of jobs, investment in the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors.

Another meeting soon

The Prime Minister would shortly hold another meeting to prioritise the sectors for focussed attention during the year.

While stressing the importance of sound macro-economic management along with prudent fiscal management, Dr. Singh noted that economic policy reform to encourage new investment in all sectors would be taken up.

Earlier, senior officials made presentations on implementation of the NCMP initiatives.

Among those who attended the nearly two-hour meeting were Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, T.K.A. Nair.

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