New Delhi:
Ahead of the Budget session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh interacted with editors of TV channels today. Here are the major highlights of the interaction:
- PM: Making efforts to ensure next session of Parliament will be orderly
- PM: We are a functioning govt, not right say we have lame duck PM
- PM: Talks have begun with ULFA, situation in J&K better
- PM: Economy in good shape, growth rate at 8.5% this fiscal year
- PM: We are not a scam driven country
- PM: Media playing a positive role
- PM: Govt dead serious to bring to book all offenders
- PM: Food inflation is a problem
- PM: Growth rhythm must not be disturbed in dealing with inflation
- PM: Prepared to deal with terror acts, Govt deserves some credit
- PM: Should not create a situation such that the country loses its self confidence
- PM: Internal security has been a worry
- PM: Govt deserves some credit
- PM: Media has drawn attention to 2G, CWG, Adarsh scams
- PM: Media playing positive role
- PM : There are difficulties when Parliament is not functioning
- PM: Cannot divulge what went on in the process of cabinet formation
- PM: Corruption in any walk of life is a matter of grave concern
- PM: Believe Congress party has good chance to return to power in Kerala
- PM: At the time of Cabinet formation, thought Raja did nothing wrong
- PM: Told Raja to look into many issues
- PM: I wrote to Raja on Nov 2 2007, asked him to ensure fair play
- PM: Raja wrote to me and assured transparency
- PM: Auction not suggested by TRAI
- PM: Thought Raja was innocent at the time of Cabinet formation
- PM: Nation has to rethink how our Parliamentary institutions function
- PM: I am not afraid of appearing before any committee
- PM: Not afraid to appear before any committee including JPC
- PM : Raja was nominated by the leader of his party
- PM: In a coalition govt everything is not in my control
- PM: Raja said auction would not give level playing field to all players
- PM: Finance ministry, DoT agreed on existing 2G pricing
- PM: First-come-first-serve policy not referred to me
- PM: Raja was continuing with prevailing practice
- PM : Never thought of resigning, will stay the full course
- PM: We are a functioning govt, not right to say I am a lame duck PM
- PM: Too premature to speculate on next term, have to finish this term
- PM: Nobody should think I don't know my responsibilities
- PM: Compulsions in coalition politics, need to compromise
- PM: No backroom talks in ISRO-Devas deal, decision to scrap deal on 2 July
- PM: Meetings did take place after July, but no further action by govt
- PM: Difficult to assess 2G losses; no auction held, so no starting point
- PM: Can't deny need to improve quality of governance
- PM: I've made mistakes, but I'm not as big a culprit as made out to be