Manmohan Singh Never Took A Half-Hearted Step: Chidambaram's Tribute To Former PM
The former FM recalled how Singh would meticulously examine proposals and never hold back with policy implementation.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram paid tribute to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after he passed away at the age of 92. He recalled him as a leader who never implemented policies with hesitation or half-measures.
Reflecting on Singh's tenure, Chidambaram said, "Every time he had an idea, he’d call the minister, listen to him or her carefully, then formulate the policy precisely and encourage the minister not to hold back."
He recalled how Singh would meticulously examine proposals, provide his insights, and once convinced, would fully back the implementation with no reservations.
Chidambaram credited Singh for landmark initiatives such as the Right to Information, Right to Education, Food Security, Aadhaar programs, and the rollout of Direct Benefit Transfer. "There was no hesitation ever. Like when we abolished treasury bills, it was a clean break. When we decided to allow foreign investors to invest in Indian bonds, we went the whole distance," he recalled.
Chidambaram also noted Singh’s role in steering India’s economic reforms in 1991, describing it as a "clean decisive break from the past 40 years." He noted that Singh’s policies transformed India from a state-controlled economy with limited choices into a thriving nation. "When I tried to explain to my granddaughter, she cannot imagine the India we lived in before 1991," he said, underscoring the generational impact of Singh’s reforms.
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Chidambaram also noted Singh's forward-thinking approach, suggesting that the former Prime Minister had likely formulated his economic policies well before he assumed office. "He didn’t challenge the government, but when he got an opportunity, he did not hesitate to break from the past, and that he did with determination and careful planning," he added.
Manmohan Singh, often regarded as the architect of India’s economic liberalisation, leaves behind a legacy of transformative policies that reshaped the nation’s economic landscape. "He was ailing for a long time and I was mentally prepared for the inevitable but his passing away comes as a great shock and fills me with immense sadness," said Chidambaram.
