Tags: Pranab , NREGA

Kolkata: The Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said steps were being taken to raise the buying power of average Indians to offset the effects of global recession.

"Apart from NREGA, other schemes will be introduced to augment the buying power of poor people so that production by companies are not affected because of less demand," Mr. Mukherjee said at the inauguration of the 28th conference of the West Bengal unit of the INTUC.

The minister said he had a talk with Congress president Sonia Gandhi who had asked him to talk to INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy to hear the workers' position and expectations before formulating the future economic policy.

"We will sit in Delhi next week and discuss the issue of 'aam admi's' needs before formulating the policies," he said to a full-house at the Rabindra Sarobar stadium here.

Mr. Mukherjee said that the government would take steps and decide on economic policies keeping in mind the interests of general people and the working class.

"Though we want that exports to Europe and America rise, we can not wait till their economies look up in the present world economic scenario. So to keep our economy vibrant, we have to ensure that the buying power of people in our country rise," he said.

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