Monday, May 23 2005 08:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government yesterday (May 22, 2005) completed one year in office with a celebratory function attended by coalition partners but Left parties kept away even while extending their continued support to the alliance.

The entire Council of Ministers and leaders of coalition partners were present at the function where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged his Government's commitment to continue with the economic reforms and provide good governance while UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi stressed on cohesiveness of the alliance.

Leaders of the Left parties, who were invited, sent letters individually to the Prime Minister saying they would not attend the event but would continue to provide their support to his Government.

The Left parties, which have been critical of the Government's economic policies, said they looked forward to implementation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) keeping in mind the national interest as also of the poor and toiling people.

Describing the formation of the coalition a year back as a "historic endeavour", Sonia said it was aimed at restoring "the autonomy and professional prestige of institution of governance and of institutions of learning that had been vitiated by the communal virus".

Singh, who complimented Sonia's leadership of the UPA, spoke on the need for out-of-box thinking to make India shine for all and bold initiatives on the economic front.

Having an indirect dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, the Prime Minister said, "At that time, India was shining for a few and Government could not see what was happening to the many...we do want India to shine but shine for all."

"We are committed to building a prosperous, inclusive, equitable, human, caring and just India," he said adding the UPA symbolised the values of pluralism and secularism that defined "our National movement and are at the core of our national politics".

The Prime Minister said he would like to see an improvement in public finances at all levels of Government. "We must reduce wasteful subsidies and divert these resources into needed social sector expenditure, investment and employment generation."

He said there was an urgent need for re-structuring of public expenditure and improving the working of ministries.

Contending that it has not been an easy year, Sonia said she had no hesitation to say that Congress party at the Centre, for the first time, had to learn the ways of participating and Governing in a coalition.

"An UPA that is cohesive and consistent in word and deed can certainly provide the caring and liberating governance that is due to our people," she stressed.