Situation across border not good: Indian PM

Amritsar, May 11 (PTI) Noting that the situation
across the border is "not good", Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh Monday said the UPA government has initiated
talks with Pakistan on the issue of imposition of religious
tax on minorities in that country's tribal areas.

"The minorities are facing problems in neighbouring
Pakistan... Jazia (religious tax) is being imposed on
minorities... we have started talks with Pakistan on the
issue," the Prime Minister said addressing a rally on the
concluding day of campaigning for May 13 polling.

"We will take appropriate and necessary steps on the
issue of imposition of jazia in neighbouring country on
minorities," he said.

The Ministry of External Affairs has last month
summoned a diplomat of Pakistan High Commission to register
its unhappiness over Sikhs being driven out of their homes by
the Taliban for failing to pay jazia. Indian High Commission
in Islamabad also conveyed similar views to Pakistan Foreign
Office there.

Maintaining that the situation across the border is
not good, Singh said "we will at no cost bear anything against
us."

India, he said, wanted friendly and cordial relations
with its neighbouring countries.

Asserting that the UPA managed to check price rise
during economic meltdown, he said "the Congress has got the
experience to handle such situations."

Singh said the Centre will find out new means for the
benefit of farmers, labourers and industry and stressed that
during the period of economic recession it is only the
Congress which can show the right path to the country.

"Our government is capable of facing the problem of
unemployment," he said adding the Centre had started many new
projects for the generation of employment.

"Our progress is better than several countries," he
said, adding the Centre had started a programme to provide
employment at the rural level.

Highlighting the achievements of his government, Singh
said the UPA Government raised the budget allocation for
education.

An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was approved
for Punjab in Ropar which is linked with IIT Delhi, he said
adding two new universities have also been sanctioned for
Amritsar and Bathinda.

He said the Centre has disbursed a grant of Rs 100
crore for the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).Besides a
new institute of bio-technology has been approved at Mohali,
he added. PTI