The Parties: What they say and ... what
they mean... |
| |
BJP |
Congress |
Left |
UF |
| Foreign Investment |
We
say where. No lock-in for FIIs.
Be practical. We need them, they need us. |
Nothing
directly. Need, and certainly in infrastructure. Competition is best
check. |
Only
by pre-set priorities. Insurance out. The same as the BJP, but will
block more. |
Difficult
to shut out FDI. Open season. Some do,
but huge left pressure to hold back. |
| Domestic Industry |
The
key. Accelerate and protect. Review WTO. Stick to it. Try Japanese-
style interface. |
Delicense
all except in strategic areas. Track dumping, WTO. 1991 mood still
holds. |
Protect
from low import duties, takeovers. Serious, but fuzzy about the
specifics. |
Need
to compete to learn. Inevitable. Mean
what they say, in spite of the Left. |
Agriculture |
Speed
credit. Over-haul co-operative laws. Focus subsidies. They do,
absolutely. |
Same
as everyone, minus Left's rabid stance. Industry status. The same
thing. |
Redistribute
land. Promise minimum wage. Potentially chaotic. Will be unfeasible. |
Promoting
agri-business, crop insurance. Good thing., but wary of heavy Left
hand. |
Government/ PSU |
Public
ownership of shares, funds used for projects, not deficit. True,
but tricky. |
Commercialise
PSUs. Beef up investment Commission. Nice. Now to work. |
Revive
sick units, stop sale of profitable PSUs. We haven't really made the
leap of faith. |
Basically
mouthing the Left line. Low
credibility. Why say anything else? |
