CMs meet to discuss fiscal scenario likely

By P. Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI, APRIL 14. With most State Governments facing a deteriorating fiscal scenario, the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, is likely to convene an informal meeting of all the Chief Ministers to discuss remedial measures.

Disclosing this to The Hindu here today, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, said the meeting was essential and there was need for collective thinking on tackling the crisis.

The objective of the meeting, which had been suggested by Mr. Naidu to the Prime Minister, is to bring all the States together irrespective of the political party in power, so that a national consensus could be evolved. Mr. Naidu said the meeting might be held some time later this month.

Mr. Naidu was here today for a meeting of the global commission recently set up by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to establish the link between health and macro-economics. At the WHO meeting, Mr. Naidu made an audio-visual presentation on the steps being taken by his Government to integrate health into the State's development agenda.

The panel, which is holding its second meeting since its formation in January, also heard the Chief Secretaries of Karnataka and Rajasthan and the Health Secretary of Kerala on the measures these States are taking to improve their health indicators.

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