PM to spell out details of pay panel, eco

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) With the UPA government in election mode, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the nation tomorrow from the ramparts of Red Fort is likely to highlight the plethora of achievements on the social sector front, its herculean efforts to bring prices under check, catapult the nation into a developed economy and provide further details of the Sixth Pay Commission.

The other issues that the Prime Minister may use the opportunity to explain to the people include the reasons for the government pushing the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver to farmers and its efforts to revive the rural economy.

Highly-placed sources said the pay panel report was deliberately chosen to be announced on the eve of Independence Day, so that certain key sections are reserved for the Prime Minister's address from the Red Fort.

While the broad framework of the Pay Panel and the manner in which the arrears are to be disbursed were announced by the government this morning, certain key details have been kept out for the Prime Minister's speech, the sources said.

It will be the fifth address of Dr Singh from the ramparts of the Red Fort and the last of his tenure.

The earlier pay commission report had visualised an increase of 21 per cent for the Central government employees, the new fitment rates will give an average increase of 40 per cent to the employees.

The key achievements of the government are in the field of social sectors, namely education, health and rural development.

The Prime Minister is also likely to explain to the nation spiralling prices and government efforts to bring them under check.

A key component of price increase is a result of imported inflation from global sources -- namely rising prices of crude and commodities.

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