Redouble resolve to achieve goals: PM to new team

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday set the tone for staying the course even as his government continues to face increasing political onslaught with every passing day. HT reports.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday set the tone for staying the course even as his government continues to face increasing political onslaught with every passing day.

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Laying the roadmap to complete the UPA's "unfinished agenda" Singh asked his newly reconstituted council of ministers to "redouble the resolve" to meet challenges and achieve targets.

"We are working against the political calendar, but we should not lose sight of the fact that we are also involved in the task of nation-building. Our responsibilities and our commitment therefore need to transcend other considerations," PM said.

Finance minister P Chidambaram also gave a briefing on the economic situation to the ministers.

Singh emphasised on improving the energy and infrastructure as a part of the measures to further boost growth but he also flagged environmental clearances as one of the major constraints in the way of building infrastructure.

Addressing his full team in the backdrop of the government's new-found zeal in pushing reforms, the PM spoke mostly on economic issues pointing out how the global economic meltdown affected the country's GDP growth, falling exports and fiscal deficit.

Singh had earlier spearheaded a series of reforms measure to contain fiscal deficit like reducing subsidies on diesel and LPG. On Thursday, he set energy and infrastructure sectors as the key agenda for the government.

Reminding his colleagues of realising the target of nearly $1 trillion of investment in infrastructure sectors, PM spoke about overcoming constraints like fuel supply arrangements, security and environmental clearances and financing difficulties.

While adding the fiscal deficit is too high and acts as a deterrent for domestic and foreign investment, Singh maintained that the "growing gap between demand and supply of energy" as a major constraint on development.

PM also asked senior cabinet colleagues to give work to their "energetic and younger colleagues".