NEW DELHI- Holiday from Economics

Holiday from Economics WITH political and administrative pre- parations for the Lok Sabha poll in full awing, the meeting of the Committee of the National Development Council, of which all Chief Minister) are members, to discuss the existing arrangements for the levy of additional excise duty on sugar, textiles and tobacco and its possible replacement by sales tax lost much of its importance. The meeting was expected to provide an opportunity for sorting out the problems of preparing the Annual Plan for next year and deciding on the quantum and allocation of Central assistance to the States. It is obvious that these problems will now have to be shelved till the elections are over. Indeed the whole range of issues which had come up in connection with the implementation of the Fourth Han and the framing of the Annual Plan for its third year have been pushed into the background. The entire political leadership will now be immersed in the electoral contest with little certainty as to its outcome.