Manmohan Singh is disturbed, says Sharad Pawar

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is "disturbed" about the current spate of scams but he will definitely intervene and the situation will improve, says agriculture minister Sharad Pawar.

"I suppose if something is happening, of course, he (Singh) will be disturbed.... I think he might be worried. But I am also confident that he would like to improve and he will improve," Pawar told NDTV.

Asked if the prime minister, a renowned economist who is known for his honesty, will intervene, Pawar said, "100 per cent he will intervene and the situation will improve".

On the leakage of tapped phone conversations, Pawar said, "The government is already in the process (of finding out how the tapes were leaked)."

He appeared to defend Ratan Tata, who also figures in the tapped conversations with lobbyist Nira Radia, saying Tata was also a "brand for this country" and should not be dragged into a controversy.

Defending the Lavasa project in Maharashtra which has been hit by environmental concerns, Pawar said, "I have always been supportive of all development projects."

He maintained that Lavasa stood out in terms of investment climate, basic infrastructure like power and roads, among others.

Pawar, however, distanced himself from the polemical statements of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on the circumstances of ATS Mumbai chief Hemant Karkare's death, saying the whole world knows about the involvement of international elements in 26/11.

"I don't know what to say and where to point a finger," he said, adding Karkare had a long chat with him sometime before 26/11 where he briefed him about his investigations.

He praised Karkare, saying he was a very competent and honest officer who was not interested in creating sensationalism.