No Policy Paralysis in Govt: Anand Sharma.

Dismissing concerns of policy paralysis, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma today said government is very clear in its policy and approach and has been taking decisions.

"As far as we are concerned, we are very clear in our policy and approach. We recognise the challenges, we recognise the pressures ... This government is taking decisions. There is no question of policy paralysis or lack of decision making or governance", he said, replying to a debate on demands for grants for his ministry.

The Minister was responding to concerns expressed within and outside the House that the government is hit by policy paralysis because of political reasons and has not been able to take tough decisions needed to promote economic growth.

Sharma, however, said that government has taken various policy initiatives to promote industrial activity and economic growth.

As regards exports, the Minister said, the country has been able to achieve the USD 300 billion target during 2011-12 despite the adverse global economic climate.

Rising trade deficit, which was about USD 180 billion in the last fiscal, was a matter of "grave concern" for the nation, he said.

Attributing the rising trade deficit to high import of crude oil (about USD 160 billion in 2011-12) and gold (USD 60 billion), Sharma said, the government would continue to work with all stakeholders to push country's exports and raise India's share in the global trade.

"We live in a world, where we have to engage with each other. We cannot insulate ourselves from what is happening in the rest of the world," he said.

The government, Sharma said, would continue to press for greater market access in China with which it had adverse balance of trade.

"The issue has been taken up at the highest level", he said responding to concerns of members that India's export growth was mainly on account of shipments of iron ore to China.

Efforts to sign free trade pacts have yielded fruits, he said, adding India is working on having more such agreements with other nations in Asia, regional groupings and Australia.

On policy initiatives, Sharma said, the government through its new policy is trying to increase the share of manufacturing in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 16 per cent to 25 per cent and create 100 million skilled jobs.

"One of the objectives is to set up integrated greenfield townships... We notified seven investment and manufacturing zones in six states along the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor township", he said.

By the end of the year the government would come out with a blue print of development work along the Bengaluru corridor, he said, adding "once these industrial towns are established, they will transform India."

The Minister said he was in touch with Bihar and Odisha for development of projects in those states.

On Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy, he said there was no question of discriminating against states.

"We want those states to come forward who are willing to do so. You will appreciate that the government of India cannot declare it for those states who do not have the land banks or who are not in a position to do so," he said.

The SEZs, he added, had attracted an investment of over Rs 2 lakh crore and created nine lakh jobs.

Source : news.outlookindia.com