Thursday, February 10 2005 14:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India will pursue a "proactive" engagement with neighbours with a view to improved border management and emphasis on related infrastructure development, according to a list of policy thrust areas for the External Affairs Ministry outlined by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (Feb 9, 2005).

The Prime Minister has also emphasised the need to utilise lines of credit with a view to creating opportunities for Indian business and improving access to needed raw material, including energy sources.

Aware of complaints in passport issuance, he has focused on the need to modernise this process and make it more efficient.

Singh has also highlighted the need for institutional reforms in terms of decentralisation, simplification, transparency, accountability and e-governance.

The thrust areas have been identified in consultation with the External Affairs Ministry. Its implementation would be tracked by the Prime Minister's Office on a regular basis, it was officially announced at New Delhi.

The Ministry has been asked to prepare a schedule of sequential steps with time frames for each thrust area so that progress can be benchmarked against these.

The list for all the major Ministries are based on the major commitments of the National Common Minimum Programme (CMP), the commitments were made by the Government through the President's address to Parliament last year (2004), the Union Budget speech and the Prime Minister's announcements.