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Manifesto of the Left parties

For an alternate economic policy

It is a grim reality that fifty years after independence 400 million Indians live in abject poverty. India has the largest number of illiterates in the world with only half the population literate. child malnutrition figures are the highest in the world, excepting Bangladesh.

The policies ushered in, the name of economic reforms since 1991, have only worsened the situation. Liberalisation has meant a bonanza for the big business houses, landlords, financial speculators and big traders who make super-profits and accumulate huge incomes. Under the IMF-World Bank dictated model, the priorities for India's economic growth are determined not in the interests of the Indian people but for a narrow affluent section at home, and the foreign capitalists. By these policies 10 per cent of the population have enriched themselves at the expense of the remaining 90 per cent of the people.

The recent financial turmoil and economic crisis which have hit the countries of South-East and East Asia are a timely warning to those who have pushed for indiscriminate liberalisation in our country. South Korea which was held up as a model for India, reached the brink of financial collapse and was forced to apply to the IMF for a huge loan to bail itself out. India cannot follow this disastrous path.

Economic reforms require a different orientation. The Left parties have consistently advocated an alternative set of policies.

As against the policies of total deregulation of the economy giving full play to the market, rampant privatisation, dismantling of the public sector, indiscriminate entry of foreign capital and import liberalisation; subjecting Indian agriculture to the vagaries of the international market by promoting so-called export-oriented agriculture and withdrawal of the State from the development of infrastructure and public economic and social investment, the Left parties advocate an alternative path of self-reliant economic development.

Land Reforms: Key to Progress

The main cause for poverty is the unequal and exploitative land relations; parasitic landlordism with its attendant social and economic oppression is the major obstacle to ensuring a better life for the majority of the Indian people.

Fifty years after Independence only 5.2 million acres of surplus land have been taken over and distributed out of a total of 7.5 million acres declared surplus, which itself is a gross underestimate. On the contrary, under liberalisation, land ceiling laws are being diluted to favour big business and foreign companies; waste land and degraded forest lands are sought to be allotted to these big companies and not to the landless. It is only the Left-led governments of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura which took up land reforms seriously and implemented them. West Bengal alone has distributed 20 per cent of the total surplus land distributed in the country. The Left will ensure that there is no dilution of land reform legislation.

The Left parties will work for:

• speedy and comprehensive measures for implementing radical land reforms
• Takeover and distribution of surplus land above the ceiling; cultivable waste land to be given to the landless.
• Correction of land records
• Security for tenants
• Issuing joint pattas for women

Agriculture

• Increase public investment in agriculture.
• Greater allocation for developing irrigation facilities.
• Ensure self-sufficiency in food grains production for food security.
• comprehensive insurance schemes for crop and cattle.
• Expansion of credit facility for the poor peasants and small farmers
• Proper assistance to producers of traditional crops and protection of markets and sources of raw material.

Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers constitute the most oppressed section both economically and socially. For them:

• Minimum wages have to be guaranteed
• Pension and other social welfare benefits provided.
• Equal wages for equal work for women agricultural labourers.
• Provision of homestead land.
• The Left parties will step up the struggle for adoption of a Central Legislation for agricultural workers, a commitment made in the United Front CMP which has not yet been implemented.

Right of the Working Class

Industrial workers have been the worst affected by the onslaught of liberalisation and privatisation. The closure of thousands of private sector units, the dismantling of the public sector enterprises and the failure to revive sick industries like textiles have led to the loss of jobs of tens of thousands of workers. In the name of reforms, big capitalists have been given the freedom to shut down factories, re-allocate units and retrench workers in a big way.

The Left parties will fight for:

• Revival of sick units; ending of disinvestment in profitable public sector units, revival of some of the sick public sector units by a package of measures including joint sector ventures, the revival package for the NTC mills, fertilisers units, IDPL etc should be part of an overall thrust to rejuvenate the public sector and revive industries which are essential for self-reliance.
• Provision of need-based minimum wage for workers; protective legislation for unorganised workers, protection of employment and emoluments with inflation-linked increase in wages
• Recognition of trade unions through secret ballot and protection of trade union rights.
• Schemes for workers participation in management and observance of the principle of collective bargaining.
• Grant of pension to working people as a third benefit; one-rank one-pension for ex-servicemen; upgrading pensions of all categories of pensioners in consonance with the cost of living.

Industries and Infrastructure

Increased public investment in infrastructure is essential. The present policy of cutting down public investment should be reversed. The private sector cannot replace the role of public investment in the sphere. Review the power and telecom policies, adequate public outlay should be provided for expansion of power generation, communications, roads etc.

Incentives for foreign capital in all spheres and across the board import liberalisation have adversely affected domestic industries.

The Left parties want:

• Strengthening of the public sector in the core and strategic areas with sufficient injection of capital and technology. The public sector be streamlined and fresh investment be channelled into key sectors. The public sector will have to play the crucial role in meeting some of the basic needs of the people like mass transport, health services, education etc.
• Foreign capital be solicited to in those areas for which clear-cut priorities are set. These priorities are to be determined by the need for developing new production capacities and acquiring new technology.
• Protection of domestic industry from indiscriminate lowering of import duties and takeover of existing Indian companies by foreign companies. Private sector will be encouraged to invest in new productive areas, R&D and service sector like tourism.
• Encouragement to small scale industries with adequate incentives and sufficient credit from banks.
• Protection of traditional industries such as handloom, coir etc. Yarn to be provided for at control rate for the weavers and adequate facilities for the marketing of their goods.
• End to deployment of deep-sea fishing trawlers, protect rights of the fishing community.

The WTO treaties are loaded in favour of the richer countries of the North against the interests of he developing countries. India should take the lead to forge common cause with the countries of the South to negotiate terms which safeguard our interests with regard to TRIPS, TRIMS and financial services.

Financial Sector

The efforts to stampede India into opening up the financial sector to suit the interests of international finance capital must be resisted.

• The insurance sector should not be privatised; LIC and GIC should be streamlined to make them more efficient. Foreign companies should be barred entry into this sector.
• The trend of privatising the banking sector should be halted. Reforms to make banks accountable and restore social priorities.
• Proper regulation of non-banking finance companies to safeguard interests of the depositors.
• Regulate capital flows; no convertibility on the capital account.

Adequate resource mobilisation:

• Broaden the direct taxes base; instead of reducing taxes on the rich, raise the tax rates on the rich, raise the tax rates on the affluent sections (corporate tax, wealth tax, income tax etc) and ensure strict compliance; tax evasion should be firmly dealt with.
• Unearth black money kept inside and outside the country and tap it for productive purposes.
• Wasteful expenditure and the growing misuse of public money by officialdom and public servants should be stopped.

Public Distribution System

The Left parties attach the highest importance to the strengthening and expansion of the public distribution system. This is the most effective way to protect the common people from the adverse impact of the price rise of all essential commodities. For this:

• 14 essential commodities should be included for supply in the PDS
• A network of fair-price shops and co-operatives should cover all panchayats.
• For those below the poverty line there should be a provision to supply food grains at 50 per cent below the central issue price.
• Overhead costs should be curtailed, wastage and leakage from the FCI and distribution mechanism should be eliminated.

Manifesto, continued