Aiyar denies opposing import of wheat

Denying categorically that he was a dissident or that he had opposed the import of wheat, Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said the slowing down of average rates of growth of food output should cause concern, but wheat import should not worry anyone overmuch.

Aiyar, who had been widely quoted as criticising the import of wheat, explained that a few years ago, there had been such a glut of wheat that the complaint was that foodstocks were feeding rodents.

But a few years later, India was importing wheat, in what has been adjudged the biggest commercial transaction in the commodity ever "" in fact larger than the entire wheat production of Kenya.

He said some years ago, the Congress had expressed concern about the rate of growth of food production falling below the rate of growth of the Indian population.

However, experts had corrected this concern. They had suggested this was because of diversification of the Indian diet in favour of more fruit, vege-table and cereal rather than wheat.

The drop in production and low procurement that has led to the current spell of import could be because of a change in dietary habits of Indians. This was not necessarily a bad thing, Aiyar said.

This, he said was what he had pointed out at a book release function that was interpreted as opposition to import.

"I am not a dissident and am not at all unhappy at being relieved of the charge of the petroleum ministry. I am not part of any conspiracy "" either in New Delhi or in Patiala," he said, referring to reports that he had attended a luncheon meeting with Punjab Chief Minster Amarinder Singh and K Natwar Singh.

In fact, it was a reunion of the Doon School Old Boys' Association (except that K Natwar Singh was from Mayo College and should not have been at the lunch meeting at all), he added.

He also contested suggestions that he had made common cause with the Left parties to embarrass the government on the issue of having reforms with a human face.

He said his view was that economic reforms were needed to step up rates of growth.

However, recognising that their social consquences could cause trauma, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had streed on employment generation, the Right to Information Act and made Panchayati Raj Insitutions (PRIs) central to all development.

In this context, it was necessary to give a human face to reforms that the government was undertaking through institutions like the National Advisory Council (NAC).

Aiyar said fundamental changes were proposed in Panchayati Raj Insitutions and would yield results in the coming months.