AMN
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the Congress party is unlikely to substantially expand itself unless it selects its leaders based on calibre and potential. Responding to questions after delivering his key note address via video conference, to the Berkeley India Conference, Jaitley said Congress party which ruled the country for decades is out of sync with the ground realities and aspirations of India.
The Minister further said, unless the Congress can go back to being a more structured party which selects its leaders based on calibre and potential and goes back to its original centrist position, it will not be able to substantially expand its position.
On government’s initiatives like ‘Swachh Bharat’, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Demonetisation, the finance minister said, these initiatives are having desired impact on the economy. Mr Jaitely said, GST and demonisation have resulted into increasing tax compliance and squeezing quantum of cash in the economy. Mr Jaitley said that there is public support to the reforms being undertaken by the governments of the day both at the centre and state levels.
On terrror funding post demonetisation, he said there has been sharp reduction in insurgent and terror activities in states like Jammu & Kashmir and Chhattisgarh and terror funding itself has gotten squeezed there.
His remarks came less than a month after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed the students at the University of California in Berkeley.
Mr Jaitley is scheduled to arrive on nearly a week-long visit to the US tomorrow to interact with the US corporate world in New York and Boston. He will also attend the annual meeting of International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington DC.