New Delhi: Barely days ahead of the Union Budget for 2004-05, the Planning Commission today (July 5, 2004) said hard decisions were a must to attain 7-8 per cent economic growth, which would also hinge on reversing the slowdown in agriculture growth.

Identifying health, education, agriculture and infrastructure as crucial areas that require topmost priority, the new Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, today announced that a "mid-term review" of the Tenth Plan would be taken up immediately to ensure that the policies outlined in the CMP (Common Minimum Programme) were implemented.

Noting that a mid-term review would be done in the next few months, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directed the Commission to accord high priority to finding ways to implement the programmes and policies of CMP.

"Performance in agriculture is a matter of deep concern. Prime Minister has said the decelaration in agriculture growth is a worrying factor. If it is not turned down, achieving the targeted growth of 7-8 per cent by the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government will be difficult," he told reporters.

With regard to development of infrastructure, crucial for economic growth, he said, "a lot more needs to be done".

"Even as there is a policy framework for the development of infrastructure, the environment is not very conducive for the required public-private partnership to achieve the desired level of infrastructure in the country," he added.

Four of the seven newly-appointed members, Balchandra Mungekar, Vice Chancellor, Mumbai University; Abhijit Sen of Jawaharlal Nehru University; Syeda Hamid, Member, National Commission for Women and Anwar-ul Hoda, former Deputy Director General, WTO, were present.