Govt’s ‘status-quoist’ Budget does not seek radical reforms for speedy growth: Chidambaram

09 Jul 2019 Evaluate

Former finance minister P Chidambaram has said that the Union Budget for 2019-20 is ‘status-quoist’ as it seeks to generate only incremental reforms and not radical reforms needed by the country to grow more quick. He pointed out that the budget does not have any structural reforms, and if there are no structural reforms, it appears that they want to carry on with the existing policies and reforms and yet achieve that kind of growth that this government envisages. He added that there is nothing in the budget to take care of the 20 percent poorest of the poor.

Chidambaram said Dr Manmohan Singh brought radical reforms, ‘when we tore up the red book, when we abolished licencing overnight and when we got rid of foreign exchange control and that despicable era. Those were radical reforms. I can't see any radical reforms in this budget. Thus, our country, our economy will remain status quo for one more year.' He also said except the corporate tax, every other number in this budget is suspect and every number is not credible. He added that the amount of Rs 70,000 crore is ‘totally insufficient’ for recapitalization of banks.

Talking on the great promise of making India a $5-trillion economy by 2024, Former finance minister said 'We will become a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2024 and they would achieve this promise made. But I can also make happen my promise of turning India into a 10-trillion-dollar economy in the next five years of 2024.’ He also said ‘When we do radical reforms, we can see rapid growth’. He noted that the country needs to grow rapidly to ensure that there is enough investment to improve the state of education and health facilities in the country.

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