CPI seeks free power for farmers, fertiliser sops

MANDATE 2004

The Communist party of India (CPI) demanded that the Congress-led government should lay emphasis on the agriculture sector by providing free electricity to farmers, increase the level of subsidies and ensure remunerative prices.

Addressing a press conference to announce the party's decision on joining the new government, CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan also demanded that the disinvestment ministry should be done away with since was anachronic.

Whatever the disinvestment ministry was doing could be done by the finance ministry or any other ministry, the CPI leader said. The CPI has been seeking an increase in the rate of investment in the farm sector and higher subsidies for farming inputs like electricity and fertilisers.

CPI leaders also demanded the reimposition of import restrictions and increasing import duties so that Indian products could compete more favourably.

Bardhan also said the CPI was of the opinion that the privatisation and disinvestment of government stake in profit-making public sector companies should be halted immediately and there should be a reversal of the process. Efforts should also be made to turnaround and rehabilitate the loss-making PSUs.

He also said there should be no unscientific, unauthorised linking of rivers as it could lead to ecological imbalance and subsequent disaster. He, however, added that sharing of river water between the states should continue.

Bardhan said CPI had been informed by the Congress that a draft common minimum programme was being prepared and it would be circulated in next two days.

The CPI has set up a sub-committee, comprising Bardhan, PK Vasudevan Nair and Gurudas Dasgupta for preparing suggestions for the common minimum programme.

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Left battered

What CPI wants

• Axe disinvestment ministry. The same work can be done by finance ministry or any other ministry
• Increase the rate of investment in the farm sector and higher subsidies for farming inputs like electricity and fertilisers
• Reimpose import restrictions and increase import duties so that Indian products compete more favourably

Why markets shouldn't bother

• The Left parties favour Chinese-style reforms and efforts to woo foreign majors, especially in the information technology sector
• The statements of parties such as CPI may be rhetorical and aimed at boosting their bargaining power at the Centre
• Left-ruled states such as West Bengal have introduced their own reforms