Nirmala Sitharaman ‘took bakery and cooking courses’: P Chidambaram slams FM over her comments on 1991 economic reform
1 min read . Updated: 16 Sep 2022, 05:30 PM IST
PremiumFormer finance minister P Chidambaram reacted to Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks on India's 1991 economic reforms.
P Chidambaram has reacted to Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks regarding the 1991 economic reforms in India. On September 15, Sitharaman stated at a conference organised by the Hindi Vivek Magazine that Manmohan Singh's 1991 reforms while serving as the Center's finance minister in the Narsimaha Rao government, were only half-baked (aadhe-adhure).
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's BJP administration, according to FM Sitharaman, put a strong emphasis on developing the nation's infrastructure and mobile phone network. Sitharaman added that the Narendra Modi administration launched significant changes, including the GST, in addition to social welfare programmes that increased access to energy-efficient LED lighting and cooking gas connections, among other things.
While supporting Manmohan Singh for his reforms, Chidambaram said that at least he did not provide "over-cooked and unpalatable" food. “The FM is reported to have said that the 1991 reforms were "half-baked". Thank God, Dr Manmohan Singh did not serve over-cooked and unpalatable food like Demonetisation, multiple-rates GST and savage taxes on petrol & diesel," he tweeted.
“We thank the FM for revealing that she took bakery and cooking courses in University," the former finance minister said in a reply to the original tweet.
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FM Sitharaman claimed at the event that the direct benefit transfer method has made it possible for programme participants to now receive their full owed amounts. “This is the change brought about by technology…After DBT was introduced, at least ₹2 trillion worth of benefit has been saved from going into the wrong hands," the minister said.
On September 16, Sitharaman asked private sector companies to clear dues to small businesses within 45 days and admitted that the central departments and enterprises are also not making payments to them on time.
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She conceded that the Centre, states and state-owned enterprises too have outstanding dues to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The minister said that at a meeting with big businesses here two days ago, she had appealed to them to ensure that the dues of small businesses, who are the backbone of the economy, are cleared on time.
(With agency inputs)
