Full Text -CMP
Consensus Made Possible
This Common Minimum Programme, says the document finally finalised and released today,is the foundation for another CMP-- Collective Maximum Performance. But a comparisonwith the draft shows the concessions, deletions and dilutions that the allies have been able toswing - right down to 'official language'
The Common Minimum Programme
of the United Progressive Alliance
27th May, 2004
FULL TEXT
- Introduction
- Employment
- Agriculture
- Education, Health
- Women and Children
- Food and Nutrition Security
- Panchayati Raj
- Scheduled Castes, ScheduledTribes
- SocialHarmony, Welfare of Minorities
- Infrastructure
- Water Resources
- RegionalDevelopment, Centre-State Relations
- Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast
- Administrative Reforms
- Industry
- Labour
- Public Sector
- Fiscal Policy
- Capital Market
- Economic Reforms
- Defence, InternalSecurity
- Science and Technology
- Energy Security
- ForeignPolicy, International Organisations
- Official Language
- A Final Word
The people of India have voted decisively in the 14th Lok Sabha elections forsecular, progressive forces, for parties wedded to the welfare of farmers, agricultural labour, weavers,workers and weaker sections of society, for parties irrevocably committed to the daily well-being of thecommon man across the country.
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In keeping with this mandate, the Congress, its pre-poll allies that includethe RJD, DMK, NCP, PMK, TRS, JMM, LJP, MDMK, AIMIM, PDP, IUML, RPI (A), RPI (G) and KC (J) have come togetherto form a United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The UPA government supported by the Left Parties will have sixbasic principles for governance
- To preserve, protect and promote social harmony and to enforce the law withoutfear or favour to deal with all obscurantist and fundamentalist elements who seek to disturb social amity andpeace.
- To ensure that the economy grows at least 7-8% per year in a sustained mannerover a decade and more and in a manner that generates employment so that each family is assured of a safe andviable livelihood.
- To enhance the welfare and well-being of farmers, farm labour and workers,particularly those in the unorganised sector and assure a secure future for their families in every respect.
- To fully empower women politically, educationally, economically and legally.
- To provide for full equality of opportunity, particularly in education andemployment for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and religious minorities.
- To unleash the creative energies of our enterpreneurs, businessmen,scientists, engineers and all other professionals and productive forces of society.
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The UPA makes a solemn pledge to the people of our country: to provide agovernment that is corruption-free, transparent and accountable at all times, to provide an administrationthat is responsible and responsive at all times.
The UPA government will immediately enact a National Employment Guarantee Act.This will provide a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of employment to begin with on asset-creating publicworks programmes every year at minimum wages for at least one able-bodied person in every rural, urban poorand lower-middle class household. In the interim, a massive food-for-work programme will be started.
The UPA government will establish a National Commission to examine the problemsfacing enterprises in the unorganised, informal sector. The Commission will be asked to make appropriaterecommendations to provide technical, marketing and credit support to these enterprises. A National Fund willbe created for this purpose.
The UPA administration will revamp the functioning of the Khadi and VillageIndustries Commission (KVIC) and launch new programmes for the modernisation of the coir, handlooms,powerlooms, garments, rubber, cashew, handicrafts, food processing, sericulture, wool development, leather,pottery and other cottage industries.
The UPA government will give the highest investment, credit and technologicalpriority to the continued growth of agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, floriculture, afforestation,dairying and agro-processing that will significantly add to the creation of new jobs.
Along with vastly expanding credit facilities for small-scale industry andself-employment, the UPA government will ensure that the services industry will be given all support tofulfill its true growth and employment potential. This includes software and all IT-enabled services, trade,distribution, transport, telecommunications, finance and tourism.
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The textile industry will be enabled to meet new challenges imposed by theabolition of quotas under the international multi-fibre agreement in January 2005. Given its specialecological importance world-wide and within the country, the jute industry will receive a fresh impetus in allrespects.
The UPA government will ensure that public investment in agricultural researchand extension, rural infrastructure and irrigation is stepped up in a significant manner at the very earliest.Irrigation will receive the highest investment priority and all on-going projects will be completed accordingto a strict time schedule.
The rural cooperative credit system will be nursed back to health. The UPAgovernment will ensure that the flow of rural credit is doubled in the next three years and that the coverageof small and marginal farmers by institutional lending is expanded substantially. The delivery system forrural credit will be reviewed. Immediate steps will be taken to ease the burden of debt and high interestrates on farm loans. Crop and livestock insurance schemes will be made more effective.
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The UPA government will introduce a special programme for dryland farming inthe arid and semi-arid regions of the country. Watershed and wasteland development programmes will be taken upon a massive scale. Water management in all its aspects, both for irrigation and drinking purposes, willreceive urgent attention.
The UPA Administration will ensure the fullest implementation of minimum wagelaws for farm labour. Comprehensive protective legislation will be enacted for all agricultural workers.Revenue administration will be thoroughly modernised and clear land titles will be established.
The UPA government will bring forward a constitutional amendment to ensure thedemocratic, autonomous and professional functioning of cooperatives.
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Controls that depress the incomes of farmers will be systematically removed.Farmers will be given greater say in the organisations that supply inputs to them.
The UPA government will ensure that adequate protection is provided to allfarmers from imports, particularly when international prices fall sharply.
The UPA government will ensure that government agencies entrusted with theresponsibility for procurement and marketing will pay special attention to farmers in poor and backward statesand districts. Farmers all over the country will receive fair and remunerative prices. The terms of trade willbe maintained in favour of agriculture.
The UPA government will take steps to ensure that dues to all farmers includingsugarcane farmers will be cleared at the earliest.
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The UPA government pledges to raise public spending in education to at least 6%of GDP with at least half this amount being spent on primary and secondary schools. This will be done in aphased manner.
The UPA government will introduce a cess on all central taxes to finace thecommitment to universalise access to quality basic education. A National Commission on Education will be setup to allocate resources and monitor programmes.
The UPA government will take immediate steps to reverse the trend ofcommunalization of education that had set in the past five years. It will also ensure that all institutions ofhigher learning and professional education retain their autonomy. The UPA will ensure that nobody is deniedprofessional education because he or she is poor.
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Academic excellence and professional competence will be the sole criteria forall appointments to bodies like the ICHR, ICSSR, UGC, NCERT, etc. Steps will be taken to remove thecommunalisation of the school syllabus that has taken place in the past five years. A review committee ofexperts will be set up for this purpose.
A national cooked nutritious mid-day meal scheme, funded mainly by the Centralgovernment, will be introduced in primary and secondary schools. An appropriate mechanism for quality checkswill also be set up. The UPA will also universalise the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme toprovide a functional anganwadi in every settlement and ensure full coverage for all children. The UPAgovernment will fully back and support all NGO efforts in the area of primary education.
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Proper infrastructure will be created in schools for NCC, NSS, physicaldevelopment, sports and cultural development of all students.
The UPA government will raise public spending on health to at least 2-3% of GDPover the next five years with focus on primary healthcare. A national scheme for health insurance for poorfamilies will be introduced. The UPA will step up public investment in programmes to control all communicabledisease and also provide leadership to national AIDS control effort.
The UPA government will take all steps to ensure availability of life-savingdrugs at reasonable prices. Special attention will be paid to the poorer sections in the matter of healthcare.The feasibility of reviving public sector units set up for the manufacture of critical bulk drugs will bere-examined so as to bring down and keep a check on prices of drugs.
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The UPA government will take the lead to introduce legislation for one-thirdreservation for women in Vidhan Sabhas and in the Lok Sabha. Legislation on domestic violence and againstgender discrimination will be enacted.
The UPA government will ensure that at least one-third of all funds flowinginto panchayats will be earmarked for programmes for the development of women and children. Village women andtheir associations will be encouraged to assume responsibilities for all development schemes relating todrinking water, sanitation, primary education, health and nutrition.
Complete legal equality for women in all spheres will be made a practicalreality, especially by removing discriminatory legislation and by enacting new legislation that gives women,for instance, equal rights of ownership of assets like houses and land.
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The UPA government will bring about a major expansion in schemes formicro-finance based on self-help groups, particularly in the backward and ecologically fragile areas of thecountry.
The UPA government will protect the rights of children, strive for theelimination of child labour, ensure facilities for schooling and extend special care to the girl child.
The UPA will work out, in the next three months, a comprehensive medium-termstrategy for food and nutrition security. The objective will be to move towards universal food security overtime, if found feasible.
The UPA government will strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS)particularly in the poorest and backward blocks of the country and also involve women's and ex-servicemen'scooperatives in its management. Special schemes to reach foodgrains to the most destitute and infirm will belaunched. Grain banks in chronically food-scarce areas will be established. Antyodaya cards for all householdsat risk of hunger will be introduced.
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The UPA government will bring about major improvements in the functioning ofthe Food Corporation of India (FCI) to control inefficiencies that increase the food subsidy burden. Nutritionprogrammes, particularly for the girl child will be expanded on a significant scale.
The UPA government will ensure that all funds given to states for povertyalleviation and rural development schemes by Panchayats are neither delayed nor diverted. Monitoring will bestrict. In addition, after consultation with states, the UPA government will consider crediting electedPanchayats such funds directly.
Devolution of funds will be accompanied by similar devolution of functions andfunctionaries as well. Regular elections to Panchayat bodies will be ensured and the amended Act in respect ofthe Fifth and Sixth Schedule Areas will be implemented.
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The UPA government will ensure that the Gram Sabha is empowered to emerge asthe foundation of Panchayati Raj.
The UPA will urge the states to make legislation for conferring ownershiprights in respect of minor forest produce, including Tendu Patta, on all those people from the weaker sectionswho work in the forests.
All reservation quotas, including those relating to promotions will befulfilled in a time-bound manner. To codify all reservations, a Reservation Act will be enacted.
The UPA government will launch a comprehensive national programme for minorirrigation of all lands owned by dalits and adivasis . Landless families will be endowed with land throughimplementation of land ceiling and land redistribution legislation. No reversal of ceilings legislation willbe permitted.
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The UPA Administration will take all measures to reconcile the objectives ofeconomic growth and environmental conservation, particularly as far as tribal communities dependent on forestsare concerned.
The UPA is concerned with the growth of extremist violence and other forms ofterrorist activities in different states. This is not merely a law-and-order problem, but a far deepersocio-economic issue which will be addressed more meaningfully than has been the case so far. False encounterswill not be permitted.
The UPA government will immediately review the overall strategy and programmesfor the development of tribal areas to plug loopholes and to work out more viable livelihood strategies. Inaddition, more effective systems of relief and rehabiliation will be put in place for tribal and other groupsdisplaced by development projects. Tribal people alienated from land will be rehabilitated.
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The UPA government is very sensitive to the issue of affirmative action,including reservations in the private sector. It will immediately initiate a national dialogue with allpolitical parties, industry and other organisations to see how best the private sector can fulfill theaspirations of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe youth.
Eviction of tribal communities and other forest dwelling communities fromforest areas will be discontinued. Cooperation of these communities will be sought for protecting forests andfor undertaking social afforestation. The rights of tribal communities over mineral resources, etc as laiddown by law will be fully safeguarded.
The National Integration Council will be restructured and revived so as tofulfill its original objectives. It will meet at least twice a year.
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The UPA attaches the highest priority to the development and expansion ofphysical infrastructure like roads, highways, ports, power, railways, water supply, sewage treatment andsanitation. Public investment in infrastructure will be enhanced, even as the role of the private sector isexpanded. Subsidies will be made explicit and provided through the budget.
The review of the Electricity Act, 2003 will be undertaken in view of theconcern expressed by a number of states. The mandatory date of June 10, 2004 for unbundling and replacing thestate electricity boards will be extended. The UPA government also reiterates the commitment to an increasedrole for private generation of power and more importantly power distribution.
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Railways constitute the core of our infrastructure. Public investment for itsmodernization, track renewal and safety will be substantially increased. Railway reforms will be pursued.
The UPA government commits itself to a comprehensive programme of urban renewaland to a massive expansion of social housing in towns and cities, paying particular attention to the needs ofslum dwellers. Housing for the weaker sections in rural areas will be expanded on a large scale. Forcedeviction and demolition of slums will be stopped and while undertaking urban renewal, care will be taken tosee that the urban and semi-urban poor are provided housing near their place of occupation.
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The UPA will pay special attention to augmenting and modernizing ruralinfrastructure consisting of roads, irrigation, electrification, cold-chain and marketing outlets. Allexisting irrigation projects will be completed within three-four years. Household electrification will becompleted in five years.
The UPA government will make a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility oflinking the rivers in the country starting with the south-bound rivers. This assessment will be done in afully consultative manner. It will also explore the feasibility of linking sub-basins of rivers in states likeBihar.
The UPA will take all steps to ensure that long-pending inter-state disputes onrivers and water-sharing like the Cauvery Waters dispute are settled amicably at the earliest keeping in mindthe interests of all parties to the dispute.
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To put an end to the acute drinking water shortage in cities, especially insouthern states, desalination plants will be installed all along the Coromandel Coast starting with Chennai.Special problems of habitations in hilly terrains will be addressed immediately.
Providing drinking water to all sections in urban and rural areas andaugmenting availibility of drinking water sources is an issue of the topmost priority. Harvesting rain water,desilting existing ponds and other innovative mechanisms will be adopted.
The UPA government is committed to redressing growing regional imbalances bothamong states as well as within states, through fiscal, administrative, investment and other means. It is amatter of concern that regional imbalances have been accentuated by not just historical neglect but also bydistortions in Plan allocations and Central government assistance.
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Even in the Tenth Five-Year Plan, states like Bihar, Assam and UP have receivedper-capita allocations that are much below the national average. The UPA government will consider the creationof a Backward States Grant Fund that will be used to create productive assets in these states.
The Central government will also take proactive measures to speed up theindustrialization of eastern and northeastern region.
A structured and transparent approach to alleviate the burden of debt on stateswill be adopted at the earliest, so as to enable them to increase social sector investments. Interest rates onloans to states will be reduced and the share of states in the single, divisible pool of taxes enhanced.
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All non-statutory resource transfers from the Central government will beweighted in favour of poor and backward states but with performance parameters as well. A special programmefor social and physical infrastructure development in the poorest and most backward districts of the countrywill be taken up on a priority basis.
The UPA government will take special measures to ensure that regions of Indialike in the east where the credit:deposit ratio is lagging, is improved substantially.
The UPA government will review the issue of payment of royalties to states inthe area of minerals.
From time to time, previous governments have announced special packages as, forexample, for the northeast, for Bihar and for J&K.
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For Bihar, Shri Rajiv Gandhi had announced a special development package in1989 and subsequently another package was announced at the time of its division in 1999 to make up for theloss of revenue. These packages will be implemented expeditiously.
The UPA government will make the National Development Council (NDC) a moreeffective instrument of cooperative federalism. The NDC will meet at least three times a year and in differentstates.
Immediately, the NDC will take up the issue of the financial health of statesand arrive at a national consensus on specific steps to be taken in this regard. The Inter-State Council willalso be activated. All centrally-sponsored schemes except in national priority areas like family planning willbe transferred to states.
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The UPA government will consider the demand for the formation of a Telenganastate at an appropriate time after due consultations and consensus.
The Sarkaria Commission had last looked at the issue of Centre-State relationsover two decades ago. The UPA government will set up a new Commission for this purpose keeping in view thesea-changes that have taken place in the polity and economy of India since then.
Long pending schemes in specific states that have national significance, likethe Sethu Samuthuiram project, flood control and drainage in North Bihar (that requires cooperation with Nepalas well) and Prevention of Erosion in Padma-Ganga and Bhagirithi flood control in West Bengal will becompleted expeditiously.
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A Flood-prone Area Development Programme will be started and the centralgovernment will fully support flood control works in inter-state and international rivers. All existingschemes for drought prone area development will be reviewed and a single major national programme launched.
The UPA government is pledged to respecting the letter and spirit of Article370 of the Constitution that accords a special status to J&K. Dialogue with all groups and with differentshades of opinion in J&K will be pursued on a sustained basis, in consultation with thedemocratically-elected state government.
The healing touch policy pursued by the state government will be fullysupported and an economic and humanitarian thrust provided to it. The state will be given every assistance torebuild its infrastructure quickly. New efforts will be launched to bring investments in areas like power,tourism, handicrafts and sericulture.
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The UPA government is determined to tackle terrorism, militancy and insurgencyin the northeast as a matter of urgent national priority. All northeastern states will be given specialassistance to upgrade and expand infrastructure. The Northeastern Council will be strengthened and givenadequate professional support. The territorial integrity of existing states will be maintained.
The UPA will set up an Administrative Reforms Commission to prepare a detailedblueprint for revamping the public administration system. E-governance will be promoted on a massive scale.The Right to Information Act will be made more progressive, participatory and meaningful. The Lok Palbill will be enacted into law.
The UPA government will take the leadership role to drastically cut delays inHigh Courts and lower levels of the judiciary. Legal aid services will be expanded. Judicial reforms will begiven a fresh momentum.
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As part of its commitment to electoral reforms, the UPA will initiate steps tointroduce state funding of elections at the earliest.
The UPA will take all necessary steps to revive industrial growth and put it ona robust footing through a range of policies including deregulation, where necessary. Incentives to boostprivate investment will be introduced. FDI will continue to be encouraged. and actively sought particularly inareas of infrastructure, high-technology and exports where local assets and employment are created on asignificant scale. The country needs and can easily absorb at least two to three times the present level ofFDI inflows. Indian industry will be given every support to become productive and competitive. All regulatoryinstitutions will be strengthened to ensure that competition is free and fair. These institutions will be runprofessionally.
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The UPA government will set up a National Manufacturing Competitiveness Councilto provide a continuing forum for policy dialogue to energise and sustain the growth of manufacturing industrylike food processing, textiles, engineering, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, capital goods, leather, and IThardware.
Household and artisanal manufacturing will be given greater technological,investment and marketing support. In the past few years, the most employment-intensive segment of small-scaleindustry (SSI) has suffered excesively. A major promotional package for the SSI sector will be announced soon.It will be freed from the Inspector Raj and given full credit, technological and marketing support.Infrastructure upgradation in major industrial clusters will receive urgent attention.
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Competition in the financial sector will be expanded. Public sector banks willbe given full managerial autonomy. Interest rates will provide incentives both to savers and investors,particularly pensioners and senior citizens. The UPA government will never take decisions on theEmploers Provident Fund (EPF) without consultations with and approvals of the EPF board. Regulation of urbancooperative banks in particular and of banks in general will be made more effective. LIC and GIC will continueto be in the public sector and will continue to play their social role. In addition, the social obligationsimposed by regulatory bodies on private banks and private insurance companies will be monitored and enforcedstrictly.
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The UPA government is firmly committed to ensure the welfare and well-being ofall workers, particularly those in the unorganised sector who constitute 93% of our workforce. Socialsecurity, health insurance and other schemes for such workers like weavers, handloom workers, fishermen andfisherwomen, toddy tappers, leather workers, plantation labour, beedi workers, etc will be expanded.
The UPA rejects the idea of automatic hire and fire. It recognises that somechanges in labour laws may be required but such changes must fully protect the interests of the workers and familiesand must take place after full consultation with trade unions. The UPA will pursue a dialogue with industryand trade unions on this issue before coming up with specific proposals. However, labour laws other than theIndustrial Disputes Act that create an Inspector Raj will be re-examined and procedures harmonised andstreamlined.
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The UPA government firmly believes that labour-management relations in ourcountry must be marked by consultations, cooperation and consensus, not confrontation. Tripartiteconsultations with trade unions and industry on all proposals concerning them will beactively pursued. Rightsand benefits earned by workers, including the right to strike according to law, will not be taken away orcurtailed.
The UPA government is committed to a strong and effective public sector whosesocial objectives are met by its commercial functioning. But for this, there is need for selectivity and astrategic focus. The UPA is pledged to devolve full managerial and commercial autonomy to successful,profit-making companies operating in a competitive environment. Generally, profit-making companies will not beprivatized.
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All privatization will be considered on a transparent and case-by-case basis.The UPA will retain existing "navaratna" companies in the public sector while these companies raiseresources from the capital market. While every effort will be made to modernize and restructure sick publicsector companies and revive sick industry, chronically loss-making companies will either be sold off, orclosed, after all workers have got their legitimate dues and compensation. The UPA will induct privateindustry to turn around companies that have potential for revival.
The UPA government believes that privatization should increase competition, notdecrease it. It will not support the emergence of any monopoly that only restrict competition. It alsobelieves that there must be a direct link between privatization and social needs--like, for example, the useof privatization revenues for designated social sector schemes. Public sector companies and nationalized bankswill be encouraged to enter the capital market to raise resources and offer new investment avenues to retailinvestors.
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The UPA government commits itself to eliminating the revenue deficit of thecentre by 2009, so as to release more resources for investments in social and physical infrastructure. Allsubsidies will be targeted sharply at the poor and truly needy like small and marginal farmers, farm labourand the urban poor. A detailed roadmap for accomplishing this will be unveiled in Parliament within 90days. The UPA government will not cut deficits by reducing or curtailing growth of investment and developmentoutlays.
The UPA government is pledged to the early introduction of VAT after all thenecessary technical and administrative homework has been completed, particularly on issues like theintegration of service sector taxation and compensation to states. It will initiate measures to increase thetax: GDP ratio by undertaking major tax reforms that expand the base of taxpayers, increase tax compliance andmake the tax administration more efficient. Tax rates will be stable and conducive to growth, compliance andinvestment. Special schemes to unearth black money and assets will be introduced.
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The UPA government will take effective and strong measures to control the pricehike of essential commodities. Provisions to deal with speculators, hoarders and black-marketeers undethe Essential Commodities Act will not be diluted in any way.
The UPA government is deeply committed, through tax and other policies, to theorderly development and functioning of capital markets that reflect the true fundamentals of the economy.Financial markets will be deepened. FIIs will continue to be encouraged while the vulnerability of thefinancial system to the flow of speculative capital will be reduced. Misuse of double taxation agreements willbe stopped. Interest of small investors will be protected and they will be given new avenues for safeinvestment of their savings. SEBI would be further strengthened. Strictest action would be take against marketmanipulators and those who try to deliberately engineer market panic.
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The UPA reiterates its abiding commitment to economic reforms with a humanface, that stimulates growth, investment and employment. Further reforms are needed and will be carried out inagriculture, industry and services. The UPA's economic reforms will be oriented primarily to spreading anddeepening rural prosperity, to significantly improving the quality of public systems and delivery of publicservices to bringing about a visible and tangible difference in the quality of life of ordinary citizens ofour country.
The UPA government will ensure that all delays in the modernization of thearmed forces are eliminated and that all funds earmarked for modernization are spent fully at the earliest.
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The UPA will set up a new Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare in the Ministryof Defence. The long pending issue of one-rank, one-pension will be re-examined.
The UPA government will make the National Security Council professional andeffective institution.
The UPA government is committed to maintaining a credible nuclear weaponsprogramme while at the same time it will evolve demonstrable and verifiable confidence-building measures withits nuclear neighbours. It will take a leadership role in promoting universal, nuclear disarmament and workingfor a nuclear weapons-free world.
The UPA has been concerned with the manner in which POTA has been grosslymisused in the past two years. There will be no compromise in the fight against terrorism. But given the abuseof POTA that has taken place, the UPA government will repeal it while existing laws are enforced strictly.
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The UPA government will take the strictest possible action, without fear orfavour, against all those individuals and organisations who spread social discord, disturb social amity,propagate religious bigotry and communal hatred. The law of the land will be enforced effectively.
The UPA government will follow policies and introduce programmes thatstrengthen India's vast science and technology infrastructure. Science and technology development andapplication missions will be launched in key areas covering both global leadership and local transformation.The UPA government will mobilize the skills and expertise of Indian scientists, technologists and otherprofessionals working abroad for institution-building and other projects in the country.
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The UPA government will immediately put in place policies to enhance thecountry's energy security particularly in the area of oil. Overseas instruments in the hydrocarbon industrywill be actively encouraged. An integrated energy policy linked with sustainable development will be put inplace.
The UPA government will pursue an independent foreign policy keeping in mindits past traditions. This policy will seek to promote multi-polarity in world relations and oppose allattempts at unilateralism.
The UPA government will give the highest priority to building closer political,economic and other ties with its neighbours in South Asia and strengthening SAARC. Particular attention willbe paid to regional projects in the area of water resources, power and ecological conservation. Dialogue withPakistan on all issues will be pursued systematically and on a sustained basis. The UPA will support peacetalks in Sri Lanka that fulfil the legitimate aspirations of Tamils and religious minorities within theterritorial integrity and solidarity of Sri Lanka. Outstanding issues with Bangladesh will be resolved.Intensive dialogue will be initiated with Nepal for developing water resources to mutual advantage.
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Trade and investment with China will be expanded further and talks on theborder issue pursued seriously. Relationships with East Asian countries will be intensified. Traditional tieswith West Asia will be given a fresh thrust. he UPA government reiterates India's decades-old commitment tothe cause of the Palestinian people for a homeland of their own. Steps will be taken to withdraw Indianmercenaries from Iraq while further recruitment for this purpose will be banned.
Even as it pursues closer engagement and relations with the USA, the UAgovernment will maintain the independence of India's foreign policy position on all regional and globalissues. The UPA is committed to deepening ties with Russia and Europe as well.
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In keeping with the stance adopted by the late Shri Murasoli Maran at Doha, theUPA government will fully protect the national interest, particularly of farmers, in all WTO negotiations.Commitment made earlier will be adhered to even as efforts are mounted to ensure that allagreements reflect our concerns fully, particularly in the area of intellectual property and agriculture. TheUPA government will use the flexibility afforded in existing WTO agreements to fully protect Indianagriculture and industry. The UPA government will play a proactive role in strengthening the emergingsolidarity of developing countries in the shape of G-20 in the WTO.
The UPA government will set up a committee to examine thequestion of declaring all languages in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution as official languages. Inaddition, Tamil will be declared as a classical language.
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This is a common minimum programme (CMP) for the UPA government. It is, by nomeans, a comprehensive agenda. It is a starting point that highlights the main priorities, policies andprogrammes. The UPA is committed to the implementation of the CMP. This CMP is the foundation for another CMP--collective maximum performance.
