The Hindu : Give a pat for tonga pony

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 20, 2002

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National

Give a pat for tonga pony

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI DEC. 19. The Union Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, today sought some credit from the Opposition for "some things that we are doing correct''. "Please feel free to point out to us what we are doing wrong, what we should do. But do also give us some credit for some things that we are doing right,'' Mr. Singh said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to the debate on the mid-year economic review.

"A tonga pony, howsoever tired it is at the end of the day ... a little pat makes all the difference,'' the Minister, known for his love for horses, told the amused House. But quick came the retort from the Deputy Chairman, Najma Heptulla. "We cannot call you a pony,'' she told an embarrassed Minister.

Mr. Singh's fondness for the horses was evident in his reply too. Taking about the need to encourage the tourism sector, he said "for each tourist coming in, there is employment for six to seven people ... the taxi driver, the tonga... all down the line get some money and employment.''

This simplistic formulation of the Minister was also seen as part of his promise to "demystify'' economics since he avoided the usual economic jargon that the tourism sector has a high multiplier effect in terms of employment and income generation.

Another area of importance, the housing sector, also "had a lot of synergy with manufacturing", he said, skipping the economist's formulation that housing activity has direct linkages to cement and steel production.

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