The Planning Commission may suggest an increase in education fees for higher education to Finance Minister P Chidambaram this year. Do you think this hike is justified?
Blaming earlier policies for "discriminating" against labour intensive sectors and leading to "significant deceleration" in employment, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday
The Planning Commission on Tuesday warned that sector-specific regulators could become 'tension points' between them and the ministries and said there should be a common regulator for transport and energy sectors.
Both sides have already agreed on restructuring of the schemes and curtailing the subsidy bill, Ahluwalia told reporters after the meeting.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not be able to attend the annual World Economic Forum meeting to be held at Davos from January 24-28 next year.
A joint statement issued at the end of an India-Japan energy dialogue said both the countries would explore ways and means to further cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy sources.
The government will come out with details of a new scheme for farm sector projects by states in the next 4-6 weeks to implement the Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) plan announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month.
"The world economic slowdown will not affect the medium term growth prospects," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, while addressing the 'TIE Entrepreneurial Summit 2007' in New Delhi on Tuesday. The economy was likely to clock a growth rate of 8.5 to 9 per cent during the current financial year, he said, adding that the gross domestic product growth rate was expected to be 9 per cent during the next three years.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Thursday said that he favoured a hike in the fuel prices to offset the increase in international crude prices. "The only viable strategy is to pass on the subsidy (oil) burden to the consumers, while providing targeted subsidy to the needy. And if we do not do it, investments in social sectors will be affected," he said.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the government can consider some more measures to contain inflation if prices do not soften going ahead. Inflation touched a 42-month high of 7.57 per cent for the week ended April 19 as compared to 7.33 per cent in the previous week. When asked whether futures trading of food grains be banned to bring down prices, he replied that the expert committee has said that futures trading does not increase inflation.
IT major Infosys Technologies Ltd became the first Indian company to remotely ring the opening bell of Nasdaq from its Mysore campus on Monday.
Economic liberalisation has not resulted in rapid reduction in poverty, as was expected, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.
The Planning Commission in its draft approach paper to the 11th five year plan would stress on doubling agricultural growth and bridging regional imablances among other things.
Future students of Industrial Training Institutes can look forward to learning new trade skills that would arm them to the teeth in the job market, with the government currently working towards revamping these vocational institutes.
India is fielding a 100-member team, led by Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The duo will address a number of India-centric sessions on economic reforms.
Inclusiveness is not just about poverty reduction, it is much more than that
Social sectors like health and education will get a leg up in the Eleventh Plan (2007-12), even as some other sectors may see a reduction in fund allocation.
Though there is a demand from the states for continuance of the 75:25 funding pattern under the SSA, at present, the Plan panel is not considering the pattern change.
"If half a dozen other developing countries could do it, India can too. There are some things we need to do and if we do them right, there should be no doubt about achieving the projected growth rates," Ahluwalia said.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said big investments and increase in agriculture output will boost Indian economy.
The tug of war between the finance ministry and the Planning Commission over more resources for plan projects worsened, with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia saying he was keen on getting more money for the 11th Plan.
Amarinder said predictions by health experts about the spread of the pandemic are 'horrendous and frightening'.
Strongly favouring a hike in power and water user charges, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Thursday
The Planning Commission on Tuesday said investment in infrastructure will have to be about $350 billion in the next five years to propel overall growth of economy to over 8 per cent.
Planning Commission on Thursday said a desicion was expected shortlyon using foreign exchange reserves for infrastructure projects.
State-run Power Finance Corporation on Thursday awarded the 4,000 MW Sasan and Mundra ultra mega power projects to the two successful bidders Lanco Infratech and Tata Power respectively.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Saturday strongly supported the view that petroleum prices in the country should "align with the global price."
"The theme of tomorrow's meeting is 'Economic Policy Reform, Road Ahead'. The prime minister will make opening remarks. There are 15 invitees who will make their presentations before the prime minister," a senior government official said.
India, which aspires to grow like China in various spheres, is interestingly against replicating the Beijing model of population control as it feels that a sudden reduction could impact supply of labour.
In an apparent attack on the previous united front and NDA governments for neglecting agriculture, the planning commission on Monday asked the centre to "correct" farm policies in view of the deceleration in the sector witnessed since 1996.
Manmohan Singh, who also heads the government's Plan think-tank, complimented the internal Planning Commission for starting the process of mid-term appraisal in 'right earnest.'
Favouring labour reforms but without 'hire-and-fire' system, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday said rigidities in labour laws were affecting the domestic job market.
India and US have launched a new bilateral dialogue on energy, which envisages setting up working groups focussing on, among other things, clean coal technology.
His interaction was webcast live on Twitter.
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