Addressing his second press conference in the UPA’s second term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the worry about inflation was legitimate but the income of most people increased faster than the rate of inflation. He added that there was need to increase supplies to keep food prices under control.
The Prime Minister also added that the number of people below poverty line had come down while presenting the UPA Government’s Report Card.
Asked about the setback to the Congress party in the five state assembly elections, Dr SIngh conceded that price rise could have been a factor for people turning against Congress party. He however said the surge in international commodity and energy prices had made effective price control difficult.
Asked about the tensions between the UPA government and the Congress party leadership, Dr Singh categorically said, "I have always felt that our government would have strengthened if Rahul Gandhi had joined it. Clarifying that, nobody (in Congress) had asked him to step down because of any inadequacies as Prime Minister, Dr Singh said, "Under compulsion of coalition politics I have served as best I could."
Stating that all emerging economies including India faced slowdown in the past couple of years, Dr Manmohan Singh said the government was concerned about not generating enough employment in manufacturing sector and stressed the need for support to small and medium enterprises. He however said the global growth cycle turning for the better. Dr Singh stressed that the UPA government has delivered the highest rates of growth.
On the future leadership of the Dr Singh said,"I have ruled myself out as a PM candidate if UPA comes back to power." He added that "Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be the PM candidate."
Pointing out that he was the one who insisted spectrum allocation should be transparent, fair; coal block allocation should be on auction basis, Dr Singh said there were irregularities but dimensions of irregularities overstated by the media and the CAG. On reforms, Dr Singh said, "So long as we are in power we will continue to push the ball of reforms."
Asked about the status of minorities, the Prime Minister regreted that the benefits of implementation of Sachar Committee recommendations could not reach all people.
On relations with Pakistan, Dr Singh said he had not been able to visit Pakistan as circumstances were not appropriate to achieve solid results but was still hopeful undertaking such a visit.
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