Monday, January 2 2006 13:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Buoyed by the progress in implementation of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's Common Minimum Programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Jan 2, 2006) chaired a meeting to set the roadmap for the New Year and strengthen mechanism for monitoring various projects.

"The Prime Minister took stock of the implementation of programmes launched in 2005 and look at the agenda for 2006. It was a detailed meeting covering all areas including defense and foreign policy," PM's Media Advisor Sanjay Baru told reporters.

The major thrust of today's discussion was that there should be a close monitoring of implementation of various programmes launched last year like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Bharat Nirman, National Urban Renewal Mission, National Rural Health Mission, he said.

"A monitoring mechanism will be set up both at the Central and at the state government level," he said adding several priority areas were identified for 2006.

Baru said infrastructure, power, coal, road, housing and employment generation sectors would be given priority this year.

"This year's slogan would be 'Rozgar Badao' (generate employment," he said.

The two-hour long meeting also saw presentations made by senior officials on the implementation of various programmes.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia was also present during the meeting.