Tuesday, May 17 2005 08:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (May 16, 2005) brought disinvestment back to the forefront of his Government's economic agenda saying it is needed to mobilize resources for development and make public enterprises more accountable.

"We must once again pursue disinvestment in public enterprises both to raise resources for development and to make public enterprises more accountable and efficient," Singh told the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making forum.

He said Ministers and officials should not view these undertakings as their "personal fiefdoms".

He said political consensus was required both within his party and across political parties to take the fiscal reforms agenda forward.

His remarks assume significance as the Left parties have strong reservations about disinvestment and demanded a CBI probe into the sale of Centaur hotels in Mumbai conducted during National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.