New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram today (Jul 12, 204) said that the electoral mandate the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government got was for continuing the reforms process and taking up measures in agriculture and rural economy that had not been addressed during the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government rule.

In a meeting with captains of industry, he said, "It is a complex electoral mandate. As the Finance Minister, it is my duty to interpret it and act accordingly. If I don't, I face rejection like the previous Government did."

The mandate, he said, was for continuing with the reforms initiated in the last five years and to take up measures, which were not addressed to by the previous Government.

Investment in agriculture, basic needs of rural India and needs of social sectors like education and primary health care must be addressed to, he said.

Chidambaram said he had no "apologies" for earmarking 50 per cent of the Budgetary resources for agriculture sector since a large section of the population was dependent on it for livelihood.

Interpreting the mandate given to UPA Government, he said there was a need to address agriculture and rural economy and "we have done exactly that".

He said agriculture, which formed the base of rural India, as well as social sectors like education and public healthcare had not received the attention they warranted in the past five years.

There was a huge gap between intentions and implementation, he added.

Noting that a vast population did not have access to drinking water, he said there was a need to restore every single water body and to double capacity in 7-8 years.