Basic problems all, mixed with a dose of competition. For Yashwant Sinha, the day's programme was not in any way different from that of an election campaign, as he made at least 11 halts beginning with a meeting organised by the Chotanagpur Chambers of Commerce at Hazaribag town.

Starting at seven in the morning, the finance minister meets at least 100 people with their petitions at "RishabVatika" (his home in Hazaribag) for nearly two hours, promising them the completion of development work in the area. The visitors remind him constantly of his MP quota fund.

Sinha reaches the Chotanagpur Chamber at 9:10am and gets his first surprise: only a handful of members have turned up at the scheduled time. As the minister waits for the venue to fill up, the latecomers have a common excuse: "We are used to IST (Indian stretchable time!).

The members ask the finance minister not to waive import duty on mica, a major product of mineral-rich Bihar. "The duty on mica imports has been abolished. The mica industry will be crippled, as it has primitive and expensive methods of mining," says chamber secretary Pratap Jain.

The finance minister promptly shoots down suggestions to ban mica imports, telling the businessmen instead to face competition. "This is only possible if you keep to your time and goal. Your laid-back attitude will not help you or your state," he warned. Sinha cites a cooperative formedfor area development at Warna in Maharashtra's sugarcane belt. "With unity and zeal they have been able to turn out a number of sugarcane products. They have also set up a 200-bed hospital and their own power plant," he says. The cooperative had even approached him for a five-year tax waiver on their end products.

"I received representations from all over the country following my post-Budget speech but I was shocked to see no representation from my home state Bihar," he says. "I understand that you did not come to me after the Budget since there is nothing in Bihar." "It also confirms that Bihar is the only state in the country which was satisfied fully by the Budget speech," Sinha quips.

Commenting on industry's demand for an exit policy, Sinha says this will only help increase unemployment. "We do not have lateral employment opportunities in India. The concept of hire-and-fire suits countries where people are professionals and begin their mornings early," he said.

He warns that if the World TradeOrganisation forces India to open its markets, the most affected will be those in the stock markets and the farm sector. "We have to be prepared for such eventualities. You must learn to live in a competitive world, or else we won't progress," he tells the businessmen.

Sinha's next destination is Charhi, 20km from Hazaribag. After a brief halt, Sinha proceeds to the Kuju Public High School. Addressing teachers and students, he promises to develop this coal belt.

Thunderous applause greets his next announcement: that prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be coming to Hazaribagh to lay the foundation stone for a railway track. Sinha's cavalcade then proceeds to the famous Rajrappa Temple of Goddess Kali.

Even lunchtime is busy: a meeting with senior officials of Coal India Ltd to discuss the Rajrappa coal washeries project.

It is now 3:15pm. Location: a public meeting at Gola. Sinha is greeted with a volley of questions on the poor supply of electricity and water, which had apparently been promisedby the state government a few years ago.

"I have had discussions with the concerned authorities and the problems will be sorted out soon. I am not depending on the state government's false promises," Sinha says, deftly turning the complaints to his advantage.

On the way to Chitarpur, the cavalcade is halted by a large number of Muslims. The older members of the crowd complain that they are not getting family pension. "BJP-Yashwant zindabad," the crowd chants. Boosted by the Muslim support, Sinha proceeded towards Chitarpur. On the way, he is blocked by a dharna -- a crowd is holding placards reading "Yashwant Sinha Zindabad... Give us water, give us electricity." After much persuasion, the crowd lets the cavalcade through. The Chitarpur meeting is also dominated by issues like electricity, water, ration cards and hoarding of kerosene.

On the way to Lari, the next destination, Sinha stops at a school run by the disabled for the disabled at Sikrugarha. They are promised a grant. 9pm at Ramgarh. The day'slast public meeting, a huge gathering. The finance minister announces the laying of a railway line from Koderma, Hazaribagh and Ramgarh to Ranchi. He also announced that National Thermal Power Corp will set up a 2000MW thermal station at Karanpur in Hazaribag.

Sinha told this reporter, "You have to learn to correlate the issues, and live in both worlds. You have to tailor your response in accordance with the problems you are facing ... you have to be adaptable and flexible." The finance minister then begins work on the next day's schedule.