'Market economy cannot be the only end of economic reforms. Unbridled market economy is not the right thing. It cannot be the panacea for our economic problems,' he said.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was trying to frame policies that will bring about an economic uplift and safeguard the interests of organised workers and farmers, besides those in the unorganised sectors.

'Sonia Gandhi has asked me to discuss the matter with the INTUC. I shall do so,' he added.

Unless the purchasing power of the working class is raised, the country cannot prosper, Mukherjee said.

'So our main aim is to eradicate poverty. We have the National Rural employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). We will introduce similar schemes to raise the purchasing power of the poor people so that companies' productions are unaffected by lack of demand'.