The road-map announced by the government in the presidential address is both competently designed and doable. There are details which will need to be attended to, and given the tight schedule nimbleness of the kind not always seen earlier will be required; the new leadership must bring the required skills and energy to the task.

It is good to say that we will help India’s corporate sectors invest abroad. ONGC’s acquisition — finally! — of a substantial energy source is commendable. But of the 10 major acquisitions by the corporate sector, many are reported to be running into difficulties as financial markets crumble. China, the OECD and the US help such companies. We don’t.

A part of Obama’s stimulus packages is helping small business technology in agricultural and small business sectors. Also, on providing water and energy and housing assistance for the poor. There are technology initiatives for the private sector by the dozen. In India, there has been nothing new in all these sectors, but all of them can be addressed in a hundred days. The Obama administration’s briefings to Congress help with design blueprints.

There have been many committees on government reform. The ARC’s reports alone incorporate the earlier work of the Alagh Committee, the Hota Committee, the Surendra Nath Committees, the MOPR and the DOP. More transparent evaluation of government spending by autonomous agencies is good, but not enough. It is high time to address some of the structural issues on recruitment, training, accountability and the relationship with the political executive.

... contd.