RTI To India-US Nuclear Deal: Key Reforms That Manmohan Singh Undertook As PM

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Former prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's tenure (2004-2014) witnessed significant reforms that profoundly impacted India's economy, governance, and social infrastructure.

His reforms focused on pressing issues such as poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, and corruption.

Mint takes a look at the key reforms that reflect Singh's enduring legacy.

Launched in 2005, the NRHM aimed to enhance healthcare access for India's rural population, focusing particularly on maternal and child health, immunization, and disease control.

The initiative strengthened the country's primary healthcare infrastructure, leading to increased institutional deliveries and a reduction in maternal and child mortality rates.

Programmes like ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and the Universal Immunization Programme played a pivotal role in bridging healthcare gaps in rural areas.

The NRHM's emphasis on preventive care and outreach has helped create healthier communities, reducing the burden on tertiary healthcare systems. Despite challenges such as infrastructure deficits, the NRHM remains a cornerstone in India's efforts to achieve universal healthcare access for rural populations.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, is a landmark legislation aimed at providing livelihood security to rural households by guaranteeing at least 100 days of wage employment annually.

The scheme focused on unskilled manual labour, addressing rural poverty through public works projects such as water conservation, irrigation, and road construction.

The scheme also championed financial inclusion by enabling direct benefit transfers (DBT) into workers' accounts. It empowered marginalized groups, including women and scheduled castes/tribes, by mandating their participation.

Singh's administration ensured wages were indexed to inflation, safeguarding real incomes. However, the scheme faced challenges after Singh's tenure ended, with wage growth lagging behind inflation. Recent parliamentary recommendations call for extending workdays from 100 to 150 annually to enhance its impact.

In 2009, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was established to issue Aadhaar, a 12-digit unique identification number, to every Indian resident. Aadhaar has transformed governance by enabling direct benefit transfers, reducing leakages, and ensuring subsidies reach intended beneficiaries. This innovation has saved billions of dollars while improving the efficiency and transparency of welfare schemes.

Aadhaar's role in promoting financial inclusion is significant, enabling millions in rural areas to open bank accounts and access financial services.

By streamlining processes such as know your customer (KYC) and enabling secure online transactions, Aadhaar has fostered the growth of India's digital economy. It remains a cornerstone in modernizing public service delivery and enhancing governance.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE), enacted in 2010, ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14. Parliament passed the RTE Act on 4 August 2009, and the government implemented it on 1 April 2010.

This transformative legislation aimed at addressing educational disparities and promoting inclusivity. The Act mandated a 25% reservation for underprivileged children in private schools, fostering social integration and levelling the playing field.

The RTE Act's emphasis on quality education and child-centric learning has led to increased enrollment rates and improved literacy levels, especially among marginalized communities. Despite challenges like teacher shortages and infrastructure gaps, the RTE Act remains a significant step toward universal education and social equity.

The RTI Act, enacted on 15 June 2005, marked a major step in reducing corruption and enhancing government accountability. This landmark legislation empowered citizens to request information from public authorities, promoting transparency in governance.

Within its first year, the RTI Act became instrumental in exposing corruption, including the infamous 2G spectrum scam of 2008, where revelations under the Act uncovered irregularities causing a loss of ₹1.76 trillion to the public exchequer.

Singh emphasized that accountability requires citizens to have access to information, making the RTI Act a“sunshine law” for democracy. Though amendments over the years have diluted its scope, the Act remains a powerful tool for citizens to demand transparency and justice.

The RTI Act, too, has faced attempts to dilute its impact further and slow its processes in the post-Singh era.

Singh's leadership was pivotal in securing the India-US Civil Nuclear Deal, announced in 2005 and finalized in 2008. This historic agreement enabled India to fuel its domestic nuclear power plants and gain access to critical technologies, cementing its status as a responsible nuclear weapon state with strong non-proliferation credentials.

The deal marked a strategic shift in India's global standing, lifting sanctions imposed after the 1998 nuclear tests and securing a special waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This waiver allowed India to sign nuclear cooperation agreements with several countries, including France, Russia, and Japan.

Domestically, the deal faced opposition but ultimately prevailed, underscoring Singh's commitment to securing India's energy future.

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