‘Focus on cutting wasteful spend’

The Planning Commission is expecting the Union Budget (2013) to focus on cutting wasteful revenue and stem out inefficiencies in the system.

Speaking to newsmen here on Friday, Arun Maira, member of the Commission said that there needs to be more efficiency on the revenue side and emphasis on creation of employment.

“We can’t hand out cash subsidies. That is bad economics,” he said and added  that it was imperative to get those ‘engines’ (mechanisms) up and revving to create better opportunities.

On the working of centrally-sponsored schemes,  Maira said that there were far too many schemes for one big problem or issue and suggested that one comprehensive scheme be brought about to deal with the specific problem or do away with the small schemes completely.