Nirmala Sitharaman Blasts Congress, Calls Sonia Gandhi Super PM Behind Economic Woes

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a fierce attack on the Congress party, accusing Sonia Gandhi of being the "super PM" whose leadership was at the heart of the mismanagement of the economy during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule.

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UPA's Leadership Failure and Corruption

In her reply in the Lok Sabha on the discussion on the White Paper on the Indian economy, Sitharaman asserted that the paper is based on evidence and does not contain any baseless allegations. She accused the Congress of compromising national security and delaying environmental clearances for projects due to leadership failure.

Sitharaman highlighted that the UPA government was rudderless and leaderless, with Sonia Gandhi acting as the "Super Prime Minister" as the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC). She questioned the accountability and constitutionality of the NAC's powers and criticized the involvement of "andolan jivis" in preparing legislations.

UPA's Mismanagement in Defense Sector

The Finance Minister pointed out the glaring mismanagement in the defense sector under the UPA government, citing the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland scam as a prominent example. She emphasized the critical shortage of ammunition and defense equipment, including bulletproof jackets and night vision goggles, which were inherited by the Modi government in 2014.

Jayanti Tax and Environmental Clearances

Sitharaman also criticized the UPA government's Jayanti Tax, which delayed environmental clearances for projects by up to a year. She highlighted that the average time to clear projects increased from 86 days to 316 days between 2011 and 2014.

Modi Government's Reforms and Achievements

Contrasting the UPA's tenure with the Modi government's performance, Sitharaman stated that 10 years of dedicated efforts have put the economy back on track. She emphasized the focus on reforms, resulting in a significant reduction in the average environment clearance time for projects to 70 days.

Sitharaman highlighted the Modi government's commitment to combating corruption, noting that big-ticket corruptions during the UPA tenure averaged one each year, leading to disillusionment among the common people. In contrast, the defense budget has more than doubled under the Modi government, from Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 6.22 lakh crore for fiscal 2024-25.

Enforcement Directorate's Independence

Responding to allegations that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has become a government tool, Sitharaman asserted that the ED has been granted independence under the Modi government to pursue cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). She presented a comparative analysis of convictions, restitution, extradition, and red corner notices issued during the UPA and NDA governments, highlighting the significant improvement under the Modi regime.

Success of Production Linked Incentive Schemes

Sitharaman highlighted the success of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, which have created 7 lakh direct and indirect jobs. She mentioned that 14 sectors benefit from these schemes, with manufacturing locations emerging in 24 states and over 150 districts. The government has committed nearly Rs 1.97 lakh crore over five years starting 2021-22, with Rs 1.07 lakh crore worth of investment already committed under the PLI Schemes.

Inflation Control and Direct Benefit Transfers

The Finance Minister emphasized that average inflation under the Modi government has never crossed 8%, in contrast to the double-digit annual average inflation during the last three years of the UPA's tenure. She also highlighted the significant savings of Rs 2.7 lakh crore achieved through Aadhaar-authenticated Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT).

In conclusion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's scathing attack on the Congress exposed the mismanagement and corruption during the UPA rule. She highlighted the Modi government's focus on nation-first policies, reforms, and transparency, which have led to significant improvements in the economy and various sectors. The White Paper on the Indian economy serves as a testament to the contrasting approaches and outcomes of the UPA and NDA governments.