CHENNAI: The expectation at the Secretariat is that a new government will be in place by Saturday. Officials do not want to go by the exit polls, but say the next Chief Minister and the Cabinet may be sworn in on May 13.

The counting of votes is on Thursday and the results are likely to be out by noon.

Officials say the first major task before the new government will be to present a full-fledged budget, sometime before the middle of June.

If it is the AIADMK regime, it may be a continuation of the present policy framework with some additions from its manifesto.

But if the DMK-led front forms the government, there may be a new direction; a lot of manifesto promises have to be provided for.

Two issues

Official sources say two important issues that should be addressed early relate to flood and tsunami relief and rehabilitation programme and the crisis in the professional colleges admission system.

A section of those affected by last year's floods have not received relief because of the elections and an Election Commission directive that no new beneficiaries should be included in the list.

Those who sought help late, or where the verification was delayed, have to be compensated. Similarly, there appears a sense of urgency in completing the tsunami rehabilitation.

The permanent houses for the victims have to be completed and handed over at least before the next monsoon. Clusters of housing, constructed by philanthropists and non-government organisations, have been handed over in parts of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts.

The government-led effort will have to be completed before the year-end. Otherwise, temporary shelters will have to be built again.

Solution sought

On the education front, private college managements, students, parents and academics want a permanent solution to the annual puzzle over the system of admissions and the quota of seats, especially reservation for the socially and educationally backward. Academics say it is high time the Government formulated a policy on higher education and implemented it in letter and in spirit, instead of keeping the students guessing every year. If nothing else, at least the time-tested pattern in vogue since the mid-1980s can be implemented.

The Government should open a dialogue with the private self-financing colleges to effect a reduction in numbers. This, administrators suggest, can be done through mergers and acquisition.

VAT decision

Industry and trade are looking for an investment friendly regime, with easy access to the political leadership and a transparent system of decision-making. Sooner than later, they would want to know the new Government's decision on introducing the Value Added Tax regime. If the next government is averse to the switchover, trade and industry may have to explore avenues to relocate or reroute their business to remain competitive. They want this to be an industry- and tax-related decision, not a political one, just because a section of traders oppose the move.

Infrastructure development

Similarly, industry circles are looking for a major thrust on infrastructure development and a new policy for the `red' category" polluting industries. They say it is up to the Government to decide where to locate such industries, but it should make it possible for them to set up shop swiftly, without having to go through innumerable studies and visits, or face opposition and obstruction from some quarters.

Every section of people who deal with the Government and government employees themselves are looking forward to a "revamp and restructure" of the bureaucracy, with a change in key positions.

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