Behind the GBS figures, to be revealed in the Budget next week -- lies a fierce tug of war between Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh eventually threw his weight behind the finance minister.
A day after addressing a massive rally at the Ramlila Ground in New Delhi for demanding 'special status' for his state, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday.
Home Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia rejected reports that they were locked in a turf war over the ambitious UIDAI project to give every Indian resident a unique ID number Aadhar.
The principal Opposition party said an immediate cut in petrol and diesel prices was required in the larger interest of the nation. The BJP also demanded that interest rate on housing loans be brought down to 6 per cent and a real push be given for infrastructure development to 'avoid a catastrophe'.
The government is planning to utilize $5 billion worth of foreign exchange reserves for infrastructure development this fiscal.
Bankers see stable interest rates in near future but are worried about the spiralling global oil prices that is exerting pressure on domestic prices and exchange rate.
Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday indicated that the government would increase petrol, diesel and LPG prices, but also cut duties in a bid to contain the impact of surge in international oil prices.\n\n
Hours before Bharatiya Janata Party's Parliamentary Board meeting in New Delhi, senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi had called Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as "chokh maal" (best product).
'The Congress can't return to power unless it reins in prices, lowers interest rates, taxes the rich,' says Praful Bidwai. 'If this means sacking those most responsible for the UPA's pro-big business policies including Finance Minister Chidambaram, so be it!'
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