The Hindu : Front Page : TDP to finalise ‘alternative economic policy’ soon

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Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007
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TDP to finalise ‘alternative economic policy’ soon

Party to seek inputs from Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, M. S. Swaminathan

Economic reforms have not percolated down to the poorer sections
Party to come up with draft to be widely circulated for a debate

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party will soon come up with a base paper for the much talked about alternative economic policy that it plans to make one of its campaign planks in the next Assembly elections.

This was decided at a meeting, the third one in the series, held under the chairmanship of the senior leader T. Devender Goud who heads the sub-committee constituted to study and draft the policy.

Other members who attended include K. Yerran Naidu, Yanamala Ramakrish- nudu, Ch. Rajeswara Rao and Kalva Srinivasulu.

The policy is in tune with the party’s perception that the benefits of the 16-year-old economic reforms had not percolated down to the poorer sections.

The reforms had helped certain sections become richer and the poor, poorer and hence it was time to come up with a pro-poor alternative economic policy.

This has become a theme song for the party president N. Chandrababu Naidu of late.

Mr. Goud said the meeting discussed the broad contours of such a policy and how to leverage it to help sections that were not covered and left vulnerable by the ongoing economic reforms. It was decided to come up with a draft that could be widely circulated for a debate.

Attempt would also be made to consult eminent economists like Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and noted agriculture scientist M. S. Swaminathan.

The next meeting would be on August 18.

Free power

Responding to a question free power supply to farm sector, Mr. Goud said this was not the only input required by the farmers. Much more needed to be done to revitalise the sector.

Organisational changes

Meanwhile, the party is bracing for far reaching organisational changes. There is near unanimity in the party for inclusion of new members like former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao’s son Harikishna into the Polit Bureau. Another notable change could be Telugu film actress Roja being appointed in-charge of the party’s women’s wing.

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