The government’s highest priority was to combat inflation to protect the ordinary Indian from the impact of rising food prices, while a series of measures would be undertaken — both legislative and administrative — to tackle corruption and improve transparency. This was the crux of President Pratibha Patil’s message as she laid out the government’s agenda in her address to a joint sitting of both Houses on the opening day of the Budget Session on Monday.

With the government deciding to go ahead with the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee on the 2G spectrum scam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on the constitution of a JPC. After that the government will move a resolution to this effect in the Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon, to be followed by a discussion. The JPC motion will then be referred to the Rajya Sabha for its concurrence, government sources said. A discussion will be held in that House as well.
Dr Singh is likely to make the statement in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday soon after the introduction of new ministers. Sources said the motion to constitute the JPC is likely to be moved by communications minister Kapil Sibal after the Prime Minister replies to the motion of thanks on the President’s address.
The names of the JPC chairperson and its members could be announced either before the Union Budget is presented on February 28, or later. While the Opposition has been pressing for a “broad-based” JPC, the sources said only seven to nine parties are likely to find a place on the committee.
This means the Congress (207 Lok Sabha members), BJP (116), Samajwadi Party (22), BSP (21), Janata Dal-U (20), Trinamul Congress (19), DMK (18) and CPI-M (16), in “descending order”, the sources said.
The BJP is pressing for inclusion of the AIADMK, which has nine members in the Lok Sabha. Government sources pointed out that the BJP was free to allot slots to Ms Jayalaithaa’s party from its own quota.
Dr Manmohan Singh earlier told reporters on Monday: “This session is very crucial. The Budget has to be debated and passed by the two Houses. We also hope to bring some important pieces of legislation for consideration. It is our sincere hope that this session is peaceful and productive.”
Addressing the joint sitting, President Patil said: “Our citizens deserve good governance; it is their entitlement and our obligation. My government stands committed to improving the quality of governance and enhancing transparency, probity and integrity in public life.”
She went on: “A Group of Ministers is considering all measures, including legislative and administrative, to tackle corruption and improve transparency. The GoM will consider issues relating to the formulation of a public procurement policy and enunciation of public procurement standards, review and abolition of discretionary powers enjoyed by ministers, introduction of an open and competitive system of exploiting natural resources, fast-tracking of cases against public servants charged with corruption and amendments to relevant laws to facilitate quicker action against public servants. It will also consider issues relating to state funding of elections.” She added that the GoM’s report was “expected soon”.
On black money, specially that stashed in foreign bank accounts, the President said: “My government will spare no effort in bringing back to India what belongs to it and to bring the guilty to book.”