Goa, May 22 -- MARIAN PINHEIRO

Prime Minister Naren dra Modi's recently an nounced austerity meas ures mainly aim at conserving fuel, reducing import pressure and saving foreign exchange-a wise step considering the West Asia conflict and the oil-price crisis. But in a democratically elected government, the aus terity measures should begin with the government, because the government is the largest spender and many of its ex penditures are unnecessary and does not affect good governance India needs disciplined, se lective and intelligent auster ity: cutting waste, postpon ing non-essential spending, improving subsidy targeting, protecting capital expenditure, and preserving essential wel fare. The purpose should not be to shrink the econom...