The President?s address to Parliament as a roadmap of the government?s annual plan has noted so few goals that one wonders if this is indeed just the second year of a team that has been returned to power. The speech was focused more on the achievements of the UPA government in successfully meeting the twin challenges of the global recession and monsoon failure in large parts of the country that arguably pushed up growth rates. Compared to the brisk agenda set in her maiden speech, this one is more keen to recount existing targets in different sectors or the ones already met. Thus, while the government has got an impressive story to tell in employment, housing, roads, telecom networks, water supply and irrigation in the rural sector, the speech dwells very little on the specifics for the future. For instance, in the power sector the government remains confident of adding in the 11th Plan three times the capacity addition made by the 10th Plan. But it just makes a passing reference to the national highways plan, where it aims to improve the pace of highway building to 20 km a day.
The only forward-looking promises of import were on legislation for food security, listing of profitable public sector companies through a public offer of at least 10% of the equity, establishment of a National Council for Higher Education and Research as an overarching regulatory body, and appropriate legislation for facilitating the participation of globally renowned and quality academic institutions in the higher education sector and for assisting foreign education providers for vocational training and skill development. Acceleration in the pace of listing of the public sector companies is welcome as it will not only help boost efficiencies but also help mobilise substantial resources for cutting down the fiscal deficit. Efforts for more efficient regulation of the higher education network and a greater role for foreign education providers do not come a day too soon given the dismal scenario where the most recent statistics show that almost half the workforce remains illiterate and that just 2.8% had availed of technical education. Though the five focus sectors listed for boosting growth to 9% in 2011-12 include infrastructure development, the attention seems to have shifted from special economic zones to the dedicated freight corridors and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor project. But what seems surprising is the complete neglect of the crucial issue of land acquisition and rehabilitation, which can bring greenfield projects to a standstill. Equally disturbing is the government?s resolve to provide the common man maximum access to gas and petroleum products, even as the excessively large subsidies have pushed up consumption and hampered fiscal management.
