Ten Key Points From The White Paper Tabled By The Finance Minister
As India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman today presented a white paper with a comprehensive analysis comparing the 10 year UPA and the subsequent 10 year NDA tenures, here are the key ten takeaways from the white paper.
The 59-page white paper alleged widespread corruption in the UPA government. It made a comparison between the 10 years of the Manmohan Singh government and the 10 Years Modi government, noting significant achievements of the ruling BJP government.
The white paper analysed that the UPA inherited a healthy economy from the former BJP prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and left it unhealthy by the time Prime Minister Modi took office.
The white paper then alleged that the ruling government faced many challenges in fixing the economy and making it healthy again, It noted that India had a fragile economy back in the UPA tenure. Now it is among the top five economies in the world, it added
The white paper pointed out the alleged Coal block allocation scandal, involving irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks to private companies, bringing about a loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore. It further noted that 10 cases are currently under investigation.
It then noted the Commonwealth Games scandal alleging the government officials of engaging in corrupt practices to the Games projects. It included inflated contracts, kickbacks, and embezzlement of funds in the construction, infrastructure development and procurement of equipment and services.
The white paper noted the 2G spectrum scam in 2008, when the allegations were made regarding the spectrum allocation. The allocations were allegedly made at prices below their values with manipulation. This the white paper added, led to the loss of around Rs 1.76 lakh crore citing the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
It also included other scandals such as the Saradha Chit Fund, INX Media Case, Aircel-Maxis deal, Antrix-Devas Deal, land for job case, Allotment and Release of Prime Land scandal, Adarsh Housing Society Scam and Augusta Westland helicopter scam, listing out the corruptions during the 10 year UPA tenure.
On inflation, the paper noted that inflation has been brought down to a little over five per cent. It alleged that India had a foreign exchange crisis in the UPA term. Now India has a record foreign exchange research of over USD 620 billion, according to the white paper.
In total, the white paper claimed the BJP-led government has corrected the paralysis of the previous UPA government in its last 10 years.
However, the congress in response has presented a “black paper” attacking the government for the continued targeting of the previous Congress-led government. The Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Despite being in power for 10 years, instead of talking about himself, he only criticises the Congress party. Even today he did not talk about price rise, unemployment and economic inequality.”
He further challenged the government to talk about the job it provided to people while alleging that it is striving hard with its campaigns to win the elections.
