As per sources from India News, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the country is indebted to former prime minister Manmohan Singh for the economic reforms.
India needs a liberal economic policy with the intention to provide its benefits to poor people, Mr Gadkari said while speaking at TIOL Awards 2022 event.
The economic reforms started by Mr Singh as the finance minister in 1991 gave a new direction to India as it ushered in a liberal economy, he added.
Speaking in September at an event, Sitharaman had said that the 1991 economic reforms undertaken by the then Congress government were “aadhe-adhure reforms” (half-baked reforms), where the economy was not opened in the right way but as per the strictures imposed by the IMF.
Taking a dig at Sitharaman, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “On 16th September, Madam Finance Minister had belittled 1991 reforms by terming it ‘half-baked’. Yesterday, the MasterChef Gadkari has baked it fully and well by paying fulsome tributes to Dr. Manmohan Singh for the 1991 economic reforms.”
“I hope she can digest it now,” Ramesh said on Twitter.
“Liberal economy ke karan desh ko nayee disha mili,uske liye Manmohan Singh ka desh reeni hai (The country is indebted to Manmohan Singh for the liberalisation that gave a new direction),” Mr Gadkari said.
He recalled that he could raise money to build roads in Maharashtra when he was a minister in Maharashtra in the mid-1990s due to economic reforms initiated by the former prime minister.
Mr Gadkari asserted that liberal economic policy is for farmers and poor people.
The awards function was organised by a portal ‘TaxIndiaOnline’.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
