PM Pledges to Clean up Governing Processes in 2011

Agencies

New Delhi, Jan 1: With a welter of scams and price rise haunting the UPA 2, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a New Year eve message has promised his government will "redouble" efforts to deal with inflation and cleaning governing processes.

Instead of a more routine wish-you-well message, the PM has chosen to address the crisis of credibility facing UPA 2 after the Commonwealth Games, 2G and Adarsh society scandals broke out in the last few months.

"We will redouble our efforts to deal effectively and credibly with the challenges of inflation, cleansing our governing processes, national security and making our delivery system work for the aam admi," Singh has said in a three-paragraph message, which begins by pointing to the need to take stock of the year gone by and the challenges ahead.

He has said that on the New Year eve, he would like to "assure all our citizens that my government and I will work with renewed resolve for the welfare of our people". The PM said he would pay attention to national security and making the delivery system work for the common man.

The PM's effort seem to be to indicate that he is aware of an erosion of public trust while also making it clear that he does not lack the political will to address the malaise of corruption charges dogging the government.

To this end, he has also made an oblique reference to the stand-off in Parliament with the Opposition and said it is time to make a "new beginning to the year" and to dispel the air of despondency and cynicism. "We need to believe in the resilience of our democracy and its capacities to deal with infirmities and shortcomings through course correction," the statement added.