Ufs Agenda Implemented Only Partially: Cpi

The CPI says there has been no shift in the United Fronts economic policies even after the change of leadership last month and there has been partial and distorted implementation of the UF common minimum programme.

CPI general secretary AB Bardhan said yesterday that nothing much had changed after IK Gujral took over as the Prime Minister and said that the Left would step up its pressure on the government for a change, if not a reversal of the economic policies.

The issue figured during the three-day CPI national council meeting, which ends today. Leaders expressed concern over what they called the neglect of pro-poor commitments in the CMP.

Bardhan also flayed the government for not taking proper initiative with regard to the passage of the pending bills such as the Lokpal bill, the agriculture workers bill and the womens reservation bill. The CPI national council also discussed the issue of forthcoming presidential election and decided that the efforts should be made within the United Front to arrive at a consensus on the issue.

Once the Front decided about a candidate, it should consult the Congress on the issue, Bardhan said. The national council, in one of the resolutions passed yesterday, attacked state governments for the delay in the implementation of the targetted public distribution system (TPDS) for the people below the poverty line.

It said though the central government has expressed willingness and preparedness to implement the scheme now known as the TPDS, its implementation in the states is very tardy.

It expressed concern over the efforts made by some of the state governments to alter the criteria for identifying the people below poverty line. The ministry of food and civil supplies (currently under CPI secretary Chaturanan Mishra) must issue clear directives to the state governments about such criteria and see that the survey work is completed in stipulated time and the TPDS comes into force as soon as possible, the resolution said.

The party urged the central and state governments to constitute supervisory committee comprising representatives of all recognised political parties and mass orgainsations at all the levels for the proper implementation of the TPDS.