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Employment
- National Employment Guarantee Act has been passed and is being implemented.
- Arjun Sengupta Committee is looking into the problems faced by the unorganised sector.
Agriculture
- The Vaidyanathan Committee is examining ways to nurse back to health the rural credit system.
- Loan waivers have been cleared for farmers.
- Water management for irrigation has been given urgent attention.
Right To Information
- Passing this legislation is seen by many as one of the biggest achievements of this government.
- This law increases transparency in public spending and the bureaucracy can be held accountable.
Education & Health
- Allocation for education has gone up from Rs 7,025 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 34,400 crore this fiscal.
- Education cess has been introduced to finance the commitment to universalise education.
- Public spending on health has increased from Rs 6,630 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 16,534 crore this year.
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Women And Children
- As per the NCMP commitment, the Women's Reservation Bill was introduced in Parliament this month.
- Gender budgeting introduced to improve programmes for women's welfare. This year's allocation: Rs 11,460 crore.
- Ministry of women and child development created to focus on this vulnerable section. Budget allocation: Rs 33,000 crore.
Welfare Of Minorities
- The NCMP promised a national commission to examine the condition of minorities. The Sachar Commission certainly produced a creditable report. The commission made 76 recommendations that have been accepted.
- The PM's 15-point programme for minorities provides for earmarking 15 per cent of plan outlay in certain schemes and locating development facilities in minority areas.
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Tribal Welfare
- Legislation passed to give tribals right over lands and minor forestproduce.
- A programme for the development of 2,388 forest villages initiated.
Infrastructure
- Top priority given to development of roads, highways, ports, railways etc. The 11th plan will up investment in infrastructure from 5 per cent of gdp to 9 per cent.
- The turnaround of the Indian Railways has been phenomenal. To improve rail services, Rs 75,000 crore will be invested to add to the line capacity on congested routes.
Industry
- Important decisions to help industrial growth through deregulation have been announced.
- Several loss-making psus have done a turnaround
Foreigb Affairs
- Relations with all neighbouring saarc countries have improved.
- The acrimony with Pakistan has come down and a dialogue is being pursued on a sustained basis.