Pachauri lauds PM for ''honesty and efficiency''

Narsinghpur, MP, June 19 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Personnel Suresh Pachauri today claimed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's honesty, coupled with an efficient and transparent style of functioning, had enhanced the country's pride.

''The party and government have never clashed and Dr Singh has never been accused of corruption. Under his leadership, the regime will complete its term,'' the minister told mediapersons. He is in Madhya Pradesh for a two-day tour in connection with the state Congress' 'Go to the Villages and Every Home' campaign.

Responding to a question, Mr Pachauri said the relationship between the UPA constituents was better in comparison to NDA units.

''We desire to avoid collisions over the office-of-profit and reservation issues but the opposition is playing politics on these matters,'' he added.

Targeting this state's BJP government, the minister said poor fiscal management was preventing the benefits of central schemes from percolating to the public despite the Centre's liberal economic assistance.

''On the power front, the BJP's pre-poll promises and claims proved hollow. The regime failed in several sectors. The Centre initiated many schemes for uplift of farmers and weaker sections.

Our campaign is for evaluating the schemes, their implementation and discerning public expectation,'' he claimed.

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