Federal government promises accountability

The United Progressive Alliance government yesterday released a report card of its performance in the last nine months.

The 40-page report card, dubbed "Report to the People", lists the initiatives as well as performance of the government in various sectors. Committing itself to present such a report on the first day of every year from next year onwards, the government pledged itself to more accountability to the people.

The report was released here yesterday evening during the meeting of the UPA partners at the residence of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The report under various heads details the achievements and initiatives. It talks of a new deal for rural India, under which various programmes and initiatives, present in the budget and also the achievements in the last nine months, have been listed.

Excellence in education covers the various education initiatives from the primary to university and higher education level. The UPA government commitment to improve the health delivery system is contained in the section "Towards a healthier nation."

On the economic front, the report card talks of creating a single market and also in "building competitiveness at home and abroad." It also stressed on making India a "knowledge economy."

On the foreign policy priorities, it talks of the need to build good, friendly and neighbourly relations with all the neighbours, especially Pakistan.