By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, July 22: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P. Chidambaram declared after winning the trust vote on Tuesday evening that the government, now no longer held back by the Left, would push ahead with economic reforms. When asked about this, Dr Singh was quoted as saying: "We will take everything forward." He added: "The Parliament of India has spoken. The government enjoys a solid majority."
Finance minister P. Chidambaram was quoted as saying: "We will take economic reforms forward as we have got other parties also (to support us)." Mr Chidambaram added: "The government will be approaching other members who are not opposed to economic and social reforms, and so we will move ahead with the reforms." He further said: "We have crossed a major bridge, that is the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. Now we will move ahead on economic and social reforms."
"With 275 votes, this government has an absolute majority and this is a chance to go forward," Mr Chidambaram said after the trust vote. The reforms agenda remains intact, and the finance minister said he intends to reach out to many who may have voted against the government as well on Tuesday. On top of the agenda is an increase in the foreign direct investment limit in the insurance sector and the opening up of the pensions sector. Crucial insurance and banking legislation and a bill to set up a pension regulatory body and one for the unorganised sector had been kept on hold due to opposition by the Left parties.
