PM sets 10 point agenda for inclusive growth

New Delhi, May 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today laid out a ten point agenda for the industry to partner with the government in achieving inclusive growth, and asked India Inc to desist from cartelisation, excessive remuneration to senior executives and fight corruption at all levels.

It was the visionary in the Prime Minister that came to the fore at the National Conference and Annual Session of the CII here where he cajoled the industry to act with a sense of responsibility necessitated in a poor country ridden with inequalities.

''We must end forever the debate whether our country's march to progress has benefitted India and not Bharat. India is Bharat,'' Dr Manmohan Singh remarked.

Some of the other key points in the agenda for the industry include promoting socially responsible advertising, not indulging in vulgar display of wealth and conspicuous consumption and investing in people and their skills.

The Prime Minister also laid stress on enterprises having a healthy respect for workers and investing in the welfare of their children and families, investing in environment friendly technologies and conservation of natural resources and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

''The operation of cartels by groups of companies to keep prices high must end. It is unacceptable to obstruct the forces of competition from having free play. It is even more distressing in a country where the poor are severely affected by the rising commodity prices.'' ''Cartels are a crime and go against the grain of an open economy. Even profit maximisation should be within the bounds of decency and greed. If a liberalised economy has to succeed we must give full play to competitive forces and the private sector should some restraint in this regard,'' Dr Manmohan Singh said.

Moved by the impressive speech of the Prime Minister, incoming CII President and Bharti Enteprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal described the address of the premier as ''remarkable and path-breaking'' and one of the best he had delivered to the industry. The large number of Indian and foreign corporate leaders gave a standing ovation to the Prime Minister.

UNI