Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to DD News shortly after the Budget.
The FM said he is committed to control subsidies. How is this to be done?
Well, the Finance Minister has referred to the need to control subsidies. He has also said that he would bring down subsidies to less than 1.7 per cent of GDP within the next three years. That is a task which would require the government to put forward an effective programme for adjusting the prices of petroleum products and other relevant items. So, we have to bite the bullet as there is no other way in which you can reduce subsidies.
This is a courageous statement. Has Mamata been consulted?
I feel there are compulsions of managing a coalition. There will be difficulties, there have been difficulties. But ultimately if the government is to govern, it must have a sustainable strategy for managing the economy. I sincerely hope that when the time comes to take relevant important decisions which are tough, we will consult all our allies and take them on board.
