Saturday, September 16 2006 12:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury today (Sept16,2006) stressed the need to increase Government investment in agriculture and urged the government banks to increase the quantum of loans to farmers.

The CPI-M leader said that the Common Minimum Programme had decided that the governemnt would investment six per cent of Gross Domestic Product in education and three per cent on public health. But, after completion of two and a half years of the UPA ministry, investment in education was less than three per cent and while on public health it was less than one per cent.

On Jharkhand, he said it would be good if a durable Government came in the state, otherwise fresh poll was the only option left.

On Bihar, he expressed dissatisfaction over functioning of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA Government.

''The Nitish Government has failed to live on people's expectations. Development can be seen nowhere and corruption is widespread,'' Yechury said.

On upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the leader described Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav as 'biggest secular party' and said his party would go with him in the UP poll.

He appealed to the secular forces not to allow division of secular votes and contest election from a common platform.