This was indicated by Pradipto Ghosh, additional secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, on Friday while addressing a function of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.
He said hard policy decision was also taken to strengthen the divestment process in the country.
Dr Ghosh said the quantum of subsidy in the power sector during the current financial year would be about Rs 38,800 crore (Rs 388 billion), pointing out the accelerated power development programme with the support of the state electricity boards.
He said there were encouraging trends in the power sector and was of the opinion that the Electricity Bill 2001 would be passed soon.
The senior official said the public-private participation in different infrastructural projects, particularly in the road sector was quite a success and felt that such arrangement could be tried in other key sectors for improving overall infrastructural development in the country.
Dr Ghosh said that the country's population growth had started declining along with the number of people living below the poverty line.
He said West Bengal and Tamil Nadu could reduced the level by nearly 50 per cent since 1983. He said Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu had nearly 50 per cent people living below the poverty line during 1983.
Indian Chamber of Commerce President Aditya Vikram Lodha said the industrialists support the governmental initiatives for the on going reform processes and maintained that they were confident about the future.
UNI
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