City
Epaper

Congress asks government to issue white paper on economy

By IANS | Updated: August 27, 2019 16:25 IST

The Congress on Tuesday slammed the BJP government over the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) transferring Rs 1.76 lakh crore in dividend and surplus reserves to the government and asked it to release a white paper within a week on the economy.

Open in App

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress leader Anand Sharma said: "India is in a deep financial crisis. The economy is in shambles. All indicators of development are low. And India's GDP is continuously falling."

Sharma said the last quarter of 2018-19 showed an increased gross domestic product (GDP) at 5.8 per cent. But the current financial year's first quarter for which final figures would be out on August 30 was projected to be at 5.6 per cent, the "least" in seven years.

Sharma, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the index of industrial production was at 2 per cent and for manufacturing, at 1.2 per cent.

"The Indian Rupee has lost 4 per cent of its value and is currently Asia's worst performing currency," he said.

He said that unemployment was at 8.2 per cent while in reality it was more than 20 per cent.

"Any economist can verify that. Industries are in danger, be it automobile sector or others. People are not even getting loans and hence demand is low," he said.

Slamming the government, Sharma said: "The government decided that RBI's excess, known as Contingency Risk Buffer (CRB), be given to government. No central bank hands over its risk buffer to the government."

"But RBI, on the recommendation of (Bimal) Jalan committee, decided to hand over Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the government in one go," the Congress leader said.

He said Jalan had earlier said that the amount would be transferred to the government in instalments over a period of 4-5 years. Instead, it was given at one go.

"This confirms India's deep economic and financial crisis."

Sharma pointed out that the difference between the government budget and Economic Survey was Rs 1.7 lakh crores and they had taken Rs 1.76 lakh crore from the RBI.

"The government made a wrong budget, it's in loss. That's why they snatched RBI's money and pushed the country towards an economic emergency," he said, adding that it all happened due to the mismanagement of economy.

He asked the government to issue a white paper on the economy within a week.

His remarks came day after the Central Board of the RBI accepted the Bimal Jalan panel recommendations and decided to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore in dividend and surplus reserves to the government.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Anand SharmaRBIindiacongress
Open in App

Related Stories

NagpurNagpur Municipal Election 2026: Congress Targets BJP Over ‘Flyover-Only Development,’ Vows to Take Civic Issues to Voters

MumbaiBMC Elections 2026: Congress Releases First List of 87 Candidates for Mumbai Civic Polls

MaharashtraKMC Elections 2026: Congress Announces First List of 48 Candidates for Kolhapur Municipal Corporation Polls

PunePrashant Jagtap, Former NCP-SP Pune City Chief, Joins Congress Ahead of PMC Elections

NationalPM Modi Congratulates NDA Workers as BJP-MGP Wins Big in Goa Zilla Panchayat Polls

National Realted Stories

NationalTelangana Congress prepping up to counter BRS attack in Assembly over water issues

NationalPoor show in local body polls rocks CM Vijayan's boat; voices grow for course correction

NationalRajasthan welcomes the New Year with rain, hailstorm

NationalIntel flags Bangladesh elections, ISI push as biggest security challenge for India’s northeast

NationalPMK leader urges direct procurement of sugarcane for Pongal gift scheme