Putting forth the mantra of “candour and courage” in dealing with situation arising out of soaring inflation, the Congress on Monday admitted that the “foremost concern of the people is the rise in prices” of essential commodities.
Elaborating the mantra of “candour and courage”, the Congress in its economic resolution passed at the plenary session suggested that both the Centre and the state governments should take stern action against hoarders and blackmarketeers. The resolution, while highlighting the reasons for soaring prices, said, “In developing economy, some prices rise because of the supply-demand gap. Some because of the need to give a reasonable income to producers and some, especially in case of imported commodities, because of changes in international market.”
Suggesting that the answer to the interplay of these factors lies in booting production and productivity in medium term, it, however, noted that in the short term “some relief can be provided to consumers through generous subsidies”.
This is the reason why the resolution said, the Indian National Congress “supports the government in the grant of subsides on different essential commodities”. It further said that neither the Centre nor the state governments should tolerate “inefficiency or corruption in the system that leads to artificial scarcity or goods or arbitrary increase in prices”. The draft economic resolution, proposed by rural development minister C.P. Joshi also called for achieving double digit economic expansion while avoiding “jobless growth”. The resolution said, “Growth will be meaningful to the overwhelming majority of people, especially the youth, only if it creates jobs and throws up opportunities for self-employment.”
The government, it added, should “keep its focus on creation of jobs” as an important pillar of economic policy.
“If the economy grows at 9 per cent and above, it will throw up abundant resources that will be adequate to fund our efforts to reach the goals (of inclusive growth),” it added.