Dialogue on disinvestment to continue with UPA allies

Nainital, Sep 24: Indicating that the reform process would go ahead,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the Government would decide about reviving the process of disinvestment of PSUs after arriving at ''consensus'' among the UPA allies and the Left parties.

''We will try to have consensus on the issue,'' he said at a joint press conference with Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the end of a two-day long Congress Chief Ministers Conclave in this hill resort.

He said the move to disinvest equity in the NALCO and Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) was put on hold following differences with UPA allies. ''However, we will continue discussion.'' Replying to a question on why he did not focus attention on agriculture when he initiated reform process as the Finance Minister of the Narasimha Rao government during 1991-1996, he said the reforms in the 90s led to the country witnessing booming development. At the same time, there were some weakness of the initiatives.

In this context, he admitted that sectors like agriculture, education and health did not receive as much attention as was required to be given. ''We should have given more attention to these sectors.'' Asked how well prepared India was to forestall terror attacks which he had been warning about repeatedly, Dr Singh said that the intelligence set up had been strengthened to gather effective information from different levels.

Asked whether there was any aberration in the special package announced for Maharashtra which continued to witness farmers suicides, the Prime Minister said the Vidarbha package had served its purpose. The package which sought to save the farmers from their indebtedness would take time to provide its full benefit to the farmers.

About the Government's decision to call off suspension of operations against the ULFA in Assam,the Prime Minister said ''We have discussed all the issues.'' ''Conditions must be satisfied'' and atmosphere created for direct talks with insurgent groups, he said.

Asked whether the twoday Conclave was an academic exercise, the Prime Minister replied in the negative, saying the participants gave important inputs which would help the ongoing thinking process for the finalization of the eleventh Five Year Plan. Though law and order was a state subject, the Chief Ministers gave useful input on internal security, communalism and naxalism which would bring about ''greater effectiveness in our policies.'' Referring to the inadequate representation of minorities in government service, Dr Singh said that the report of the Sachar Committee was being awaited. ''The committee is expected to give the first comprehensive data regarding unemployment, education and status of minorities in other fields.'' The Prime Minister, in reply to a question, categorically ruled out the chances of reviving the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

UNI