Govt should focus on alternate measures to stimulate economy rather than fiscal stimulus: Rajiv Kumar

31 Jan 2020 Evaluate

In order to boost slowing economy without bothering too much about fiscal deficit, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said that the government should focus on alternate measures to stimulate economy as it is not possible to give fiscal stimulus. He also said growth-enhancing measures are the need of the hour to achieve India's potential growth rate of 7-8 per cent per annum. He attributed the current slowdown to low investment, muted consumption expenditure and lagging exports.

However, he said the government's ability to finance a large stimulus is admittedly constrained. Therefore, attention will have to be on alternate measures to stimulate a recovery. He noted that some green shoots of recovery are now visible with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for both manufacturing and services showing a smart rise to above 52, which signifies expansion. He also said there have already been plenty of measures taken by the government in the recent past, including the decision to lower corporate tax rates in September 2019.

Noting that growth, equity and sustainability can no longer be viewed as mutually exclusive, Kumar said ‘we cannot achieve one goal while neglecting the other two’. He added that ‘our policy design should always have these three principle goals that are also enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or the Global Agenda 2030, for the achievement of which, all UN members have given their unequivocal commitment.’ Meanwhile, the Indian economy had seen growth rate decline in each of the past five quarters, falling to over six-year low of 4.5 per cent in July-September 2019.

© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×