Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to address a press conference on May 24 to mark the first anniversary of the UPA government’s second term.
This will be the first full-fledged press conference in the national capital by Dr. Singh after the coalition government came to power for the second time on May 22 last year.
To coincide with the occasion, the government also plans to bring out a ‘Report to the People’ to drive home its point that it is a ‘Government that works’.
The PMO is already busy gathering information from various ministries and departments on their achievements which could find a place in the Report.
The document is likely to chronicle among other things the Women’s Reservation Bill which has been passed in the Rajya Sabha.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is keen to secure its passage in the Lok Sabha but the measure has been put on hold in view of the stiff opposition by the Yadav trio—Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav— demanding quota within quota.
The Right to Education (RTE) Act that would directly benefit at least one crore children is also expected to be highlighted in the Report.
On the foreign front, the government is expected to refer to the dialogue process with Pakistan and India’s efforts to cement ties with almost all its neighbours.
On the economic front, the report is expected to highlight how the government weathered the global financial crisis and the depression and managed to keep an impressive growth rate.
Since 2004, when Congress—led UPA assumed power after ousting the BJP—led NDA, the government has been bringing out annual reports on its performance.
