The Hindu : National : Chidambaram to engage Congress in budget-making

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 21, 2005

National

National

Chidambaram to engage Congress in budget-making

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 20. In a move to broaden the process of consultation and engage the Congress in the budget-making exercise, the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, will interact with party leaders, office-bearers and MPs here this Saturday.

Mr. Chidambaram is scheduled to visit the party headquarters and hear the views of members so that the accent is on addressing the concerns of aam aadmi (common man), a promise made by the Congress in the last Lok Sabha elections, party sources said today.

Top priority, the sources felt, should be accorded to agriculture, infrastructure development in rural areas, improvement in public health, child welfare, special package for handloom weavers and rehabilitation of fishermen, most of whom have been affected by the tsunami.

The pre-budget exercise is aimed at taking into account the concerns of the party and ensuring that the Government focus is on sectors that need development and budgetary support.

Among those who are expected to attend are the party general secretaries, secretaries, office-bearers in Parliament and MPs who are members of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance and Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry. Some young MPs have also been invited for the interaction, the sources said.

Observers appointed

Meanwhile, the Congress appointed a group of 25 observers who will coordinate in the elections to the 90-member Haryana Assembly. They include Ramesh Chennithala, Sundar Lal Tiwari, Vivek Bansal, R.C. Khuntia and Nirmal Khatri.

Party sources said the move was to ensure proper coordination and sort out problems including those created by rebels. Though the party is sensing power in the State, the central leadership does not want to leave anything to chance or lose grip on account of complacency.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National