(a) whether the Union Government propose to invest in infrastructure,
consumer and social sectors and encourage private sector;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government have taken any policy decision in this regard;
(d) if so, the sectors wherein investment is likely to be made; and
(e) if not, the time by which a decision is likely to be taken in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE
INDUSTRIES, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,
PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY AND SPACE (SHRIMATI VASUNDHARA RAJE)
(a) & (b): The Approach Paper to the Tenth Five Year Plan envisages that the
industrial growth of the economy will be largely dependent on the performance of
the private sector and our policy must, therefore, provide a conducive environment
for such growth. In such a context, the Government has a very important role but a
different one from that envisaged in the past. In the areas of social sectors its role
will clearly have to increase. In the sphere of infrastructure development,
government`s role will have to increase in areas like rural infrastructure and road
development, which are unlikely to attract private investment. In areas, where gaps
are large and private sector cannot be expected to step in significantly,
government`s role may have to be restructured. In other areas of infrastructure
development like telecommunications, power, ports, etc., the private sector can
play a much larger role provided an appropriate policy framework is in place.
(c) to (e): The Tenth Five Year Plan, which is likely to contain some of the
policy recommendations in this regard, is yet to be formulated.