Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Terming the one-year performance of Narendra Modi government as more than satisfactory, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that good governance always has to be blended with clever politics.
FM Jaitley addressed a press conference in the national capital to mark one year of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. Here are highlights from the press conference.
- On NPAs: At the end of the day we have to do the re-capitalisation fast.
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- On RBI governor Raghuram Rajan's statement on “unrealistic expectations” from the government: The expectations of the people from this government was absolutely realistic however it was unrealistic from the opposition.
- On economic policy correction: Good governance always has to be blended with clever politics and we are conscious of it. Our party has been extremely conscious in forging alliance and formulating policies. But I think Investors are cleverer than you and me. He looks at all the prospects before investing.
- On Inflation and corruption: Cyclical increases are not pattern. Inflation control has been a positive achievement of this government.
- On whether Gold monetisation will lead to conversion of black money into white money: I am not going to comment on the draft, it is on the public domain. The idea was to invite questions and suggestions.
- On disinvestment: Secondary divestment has already got umpteen proposals over 50 thousand crores.
- On FDI in retail: My party's views on this matter are known by everybody. So far the position of the government on the previous governments notes on FDI in retail is the same.
- FM on GST deadline: As far as the government is concerned we will do all endeavor required for this. The government is going to make every effort to ensure that there is no delay in meeting the deadline.
-Replying to questions raised by journalists during the press conference on ITR, Jaitley says, personally I do not agree that ITR forms should be 12 and half pages long. It needs to be simplified. MAT issues will be resolved through judicial procedure.
- The Mudra Bank will benefit 5.77 crore small entrepreneurs
- The pension scheme –Atal Pension Yojana will focus on the unorganized sector
- The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana has alerady reached 7.5 crore people. It is a life-long scheme which will benefit everyone.
- Schemes like Jan Dhan Yojna have brought crores of Indians under financial inclusion
- We have big disinvestment target for the current fiscal
- Black Money Act has been passed. We will announce compliance window for black money in a few days
- Within six months we came up with largest ever disinvestment. This year too, we will do disinvestment and strategic sale, both will be done
- We are also committed to re-start stalled project
- Our prime focus and emphasis would be passing of GST and Land Bill
- Leakage in farmer subsidy has also lessened.
- Direct benefit transfers have ensured less LPG leakage
- We have ended all disputes in coal and spectrum allocation
- Stability in the economy has returned
- We have improved the fiscal deficit target. Infact we have overachieved the target. Current account deficit, foreign exchange reserve, growth reserves, and the recent revenue figures which have come, show a lot of improvement
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-Government will increase spending on rural infrastructure and irrigation
- Strengthening the federal structure is the highlight of the government
- There is cohesiveness in decision making. Chief Ministers' role through NITI Aayog has been strengthened
- Legacy issues in tax policy will end
- The government has laid a lot of focus on ease of doing business and expanding activity
- In the field of indirect taxation we are in the process of making history by bringing the GST bill. Lok Sabha has cleared and I hope Rajya Sabha will clear it soon
- On Direct taxes the entire emphasis is two fold
- There has been absolute clarity on direction towards growth and development
- Various departments of government are working with new energy and trust
- Decisions have been taken in a direction which will augment growth and promote development
- Put in a place for transparent mechanism to allocate resources
- Government committed to bring in more reforms
- Prime Minister Modi's foreign visits have changed the perception of India
