MADURAI: The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government has fulfilled its promises made in the common minimum programme, Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K.Vasan said here on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, he said the Centre had waived farmers’ loans to the extent of Rs. 71,000 crore and recruited eight lakh teachers in 2.40 lakh schools. Its noon-meal scheme had benefited 14 crore students and it had opened 3.8 lakh new anganwadis during the last four years across the country.

With the list of “achievements”, the party will go to the people and seek their support in the coming Lok Sabha polls, he said.

Mr. Vasan said the Congress was the only party which would place the nation at higher echelon in all major spheres. “Some political parties may distance themselves from us, but they will realise their mistakes later”, he replied to a query on the Communist parties decision.

The Congress had a larger role in the nation-building exercise and whichever party or parties had faith in Congress may join the alliance. They are welcome, Mr. Vasan said, when asked to comment on the possibility of changes in the alliance, especially after the exit of the Communists at the Centre and the Pattali Makkal Katchi in Tamil Nadu. Asked about the simmering differences with the Congress in the State, he said steps would be taken to strengthen the party.