New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday listed the achievements of the Narendra Modi regime on the economic front saying that the country is the fastest-growing economy in the world.
"The global economy is struggling with twin challenges with high inflation and slow growth. In 2022, the global economy saw a growth of only 3 per cent. The United Kingdom is facing challenging times and the Bank of England has increased rates. Europen Central Bank has also seen high inflation. In Germany too, the challenges are big," Sitharaman said while replying to the No-Confidence Motion in the Lok Sabha.
Substantiating her claim on economic growth, she cited the instance of rating giant Morgan Stanley's observation. "In 2013, Morgan Stanley had included India in the list of five fragile economies of the world. India was declared a fragile economy. Today, the same Morgan Stanley upgraded India and gave it a higher rating. In just 9 years, the economy rose and saw economic development due to the policies of our govt -- despite Covid-19. Today, we are the fastest-growing economy in the world," Sitharaman said.
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"China, which is a big economy, is also facing stagnation of wages. We should view the Indian Economy in this context. India is now the fastest-growing economy. Since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi improved our policies despite the COVID-19 pandemic," added the Finance Minister.
The BJP Lok Sabha members chanted 'Modi-Modi' slogans while Nirmala Sithraman was speaking. "You (the Opposition led by the Congress) show dreams to the citizens, we realise their dreams," Sitharaman said in an apparent dig at the Congress.
According to Sitharaman, a clear transformation has been seen in the nine years since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power at the Centre. "There has been a five-fold increase in the agriculture budget," the Finance Minister said.
"As many as 390 more universities have been added in the country. There are 148 airports in the country today. There was no waterway in 2014, today there are 111 waterways. In the global ranking, India was at 10th spot in 2014, today we are at the fifth position," the Finance Minister informed.
She lashed out at the unity of the Opposition INDIA bloc. "In Punjab, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are fighting against each other. In Gujarat too, both parties are fighting against each other. This is a fantastic unity," Sitharaman said in a sarcastic way while taking a dig at the Opposition. "We are extending UPI to France. The United Kingdom is also taking an interest in it. We are advanced digitally. We are setting a standard for the world," the senior BJP leader said. The Finance Minister also said Capital expenditure which was 2.92 lakh crore in 2014, today stands at 10.9 lakh crore. The agriculture budget which was 21,3400 crore in 2014, now stands at 1,24000 crore now, she added.
Speaking about the increase in the defence budget, she said the volume, which was 1,944 crore in 2014, registered a phenomenal rise of 16,000 crore. According to Sitharaman, the country's Direct-Bank Transfers have become a success story in the world. "DBT transfers have increased. 7.16 lakh crore have been transferred through DBT till the last financial year. The Congress never wanted to implement it," she added.
She raised the issue of the 2G scam and the Coal Scam, which took place during the UPA regime in the Lower House of Parliament. "Congress says that 'Jan Aushadhi Kendra' was launched by them, I agree. Till 2008-2014, they launched only 80 such centres. So they (the Opposition) are happy to launch the schemes and not implement them. Now there are over 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country," she quipped.
Sitharaman also said that the over 1.50 lakh medical seats in the country today. "In 2014, there were seven AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences)," she said. The No-Confidence Motion has been moved by Congress Member of Parliament Gaurav Gogoi against the Council of Ministers. This is the second No-Confidence Motion faced by the Narendra Modi government.
She said that the NDA government took measures to improve the banking sector during its tenure. Sitharaman pointed out that banks were able to work without political meddling and asserted that the government was "cleaning up the mess" left by the UPA in the banks.
Sitharaman also took a potshot at the Congress, alleging that they were promising schemes while the BJP government delivered their promises to the people. She said that promises on electricity, gas connections, toilets and airports were completed in the past nine years.
"Words like 'banega, milega' are not in use anymore. What are people using these days? 'Ban gaye, mil gaye, aa gaye'. During UPA regime, people said 'Bijli aayegi', now people say 'Bijli aa gayi'. They said 'gas connection milega', now 'gas connection mil gaya'...They said airport 'banega', now airport 'ban gaya'...", she said during the no-trust motion debate in the Lok Sabha.
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