Terming the Congress-led UPA Government responsible for country’s reduced growth rate, BJP’s national vice-president Smriti Irani asserted that the country would again see robust economic development as NDA under the leadership of Narendra Modi would form the next Government after May 16 this year.
Even the Congress leadership and in particular P Chidambaram accepted in Parliament that Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA Government left behind legacy of robust economy, Irani said. She added, “Sadly, it was under the Congress-led UPA Government in last one decade, the economic growth rate came down from 8.6 per cent to mere 4 per cent.”
She said that in the year 2003-04 when NDA was ruling the country, manufacturing growth was as high as 7.3 per cent. “After a decade, UPA is leaving behind the zero per cent growth rate in the sector. In the history of independent India, the country is observing negative growth in manufacturing sector for the 3rd time,” She said adding that even industrial growth has come down at zero per cent from six per cent during the period.
Comparing food inflation of four per cent during the Vajpayee Government in 2003-04, All India president of BJP Mahila Morcha said that in the past one decade under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders, it has almost touched to 10 per cent. Current Account deficit, inflation, subsidy burden will be the other challenges that UPA Government would leave behind for the new Government which shall be formed after May 16 this year, she asserted.
“Under the Congress-led UPA Government, interest rates were changed for more than 15 times, that only impacted negatively to the business environment. Despite having an economist at the helm (Manmohan Singh), the rupee has depreciated at a rate of 38 per cent under UPA Government, said Irani raising the issue of policy paralysis, which has stalled the country’s growth. The Congress led government also admitted in the Parliament that projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore were stalled due to policy paralysis, she added.
When asked about lapses in policies in BJP-led Gujarat Government in context of policy paralysis, the Member of Parliament from Gujarat said that policy paralysis directly impact growth, but in Gujarat growth is visible in various sectors.
Taking a question on Gujarat being heavily under debt, she put the blame on UPA blaming that the Centre is not supporting just because Gujarat is ruled by BJP. The Centre is not releasing money amounting thousands of crore for excise, mid-day meal etc. and ultimately burden came on the State government’s treasury, she added.
