September 27, 2005, New Delhi, Press Release
The ‘Parliamentarians’ Forum on Economic Policy Issues’, formed at the behest of five MPs cutting across party lines is gaining popularity with every passing day with more and more MPs expressing their willingness to join the forum. Already about 30 MPs from different parties have agreed to join.
The forum will be an informal and non-partisan platform to facilitate discussions among MPs on a periodic basis on core economic policy issues to accelerate consensus on both the content and process of reforms. It is being hosted by the Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), a non-profit making and a leading civil society organization.
“…at this point of time when economic reforms are sweeping our country and globalisation has become all pervading, having a Parliamentarians Forum on economic policy issues on non-partisan lines is most appropriate and would be appreciated by one and all irrespective of what political party one belongs”, observed M. V. Rajasekharan, Minister of State for Planning, Government of India, in a letter to join the Forum.
“…a great idea to provide Parliamentarians the forum to discuss the core economic policy issues and to arrive at consensus cutting across party line particularly in the present day economic scenario where India is on the path of emerging as an economic giant in the world”, observed Santosh Bagrodia, M.P. and Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry.
Yashwant Sinha of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Suresh Prabhu of the Shiv Sena, N. N. Krishnadas of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Madhusudan Mistry of the Congress, and Dinesh Trivedi of the Trinamool Congress are the initiators of this Forum.
“The forum aims to discuss divergent opinions on core economic policy issues reflected in and out of the Parliament and the media and impart necessary information to MPs so that debate inside could be more informed” said Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS