CII action plan chants the reforms mantra

Unveiling a ten-point action plan for the new government yesterday, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) laid stress on the acceleration of reforms and transparency in execution of projects to facilitate rapid infrastructural expansion.

CII President Anand Mahindra said the ten-point agenda, pertaining to infrastructure, agriculture, social infrastructure, value-added tax, foreign relations and some other issues, would provide the necessary impetus to sustain the current growth rate.

Mahindra said, "A major element of the infrastructure policy would be to ensure energy security.

This could be done in close cooperation with the US, Japan and China . Our new source of oil and energy will have to be central Asia." On the agricultural front, the chamber said time was ripe for a new revolution, stressing multi-cropping, processing, and high-tech value-addition in the food chain.

Priority should be given to primary education, with stress on quality upgradation and faculty improvement. Long-distance delivery of quality education through the use of IT could also be explored, CII said.

Healthcare at affordable prices, conservation of water and interlinking of rivers must also be a key priority, the chamber said. CII emphasised that government should devise schemes for more self-employment avenues through vocational training.

The body strongly advocated the implementation of VAT across India for a lucrative common market that would benefit farmers, consumer industries and all other sectors.

The government should also consolidate the measures already taken to build new global relationships for mutual benefit, specially focusing on the developing world.

On the fiscal management front, the industry chamber said there should be constant efforts to reduce the deficit. Rationalisation of taxation and expenditure control are also essential, CII said.

---

New recipe

• Ensure energy security by co-operating with the US, Japan, China and India. Look at central Asia
• In agriculture, stress on multi-cropping, processing, and high-tech value-addition in the food chain
• Implement VAT across India for a lucrative common market that would benefit farmers and others
• Stress on primary education, more use of IT and cheaper healthcare; interlinking of rivers must