Kolkata: Stressing West Bengal’s growth rate — at 12.58 per cent — was the highest in India, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday criticised the Modi government for shifting its agenda from economy and development to “only politics”.
“It is for everyone to see and realise the true situation where our country stands now. The agenda of the government has changed from economy and development to politics, politics and only politics,” Banerjee wrote on her social media account.
She congratulated the people of the state for showing the highest growth rate. “West Bengal achieves No 1 position in the country in growth rate. As per reports of Govt of India, growth rate of West Bengal for the financial year 2018-19 is 12.58 per cent, the highest in India,” she wrote.
According to her, the state’s achievement is in sharp contrast to the “state of deep recession and complete policy paralysis perpetrated by Central government leading to significant decline of overall growth rate of the country and highest unemployment in 45 years”.
“GDP growth of the country has fallen to 5.8 per cent in Q4 of 2018-19, the lowest growth rate in the last 5 years, between 2014-15 and 2018-19. Industrial Output Growth was 2 per cent in June 2019, which was 7 per cent in June 2018. Growth during April, May & June, 2019 was 3.6 per cent against 5.1 per cent in the previous year,” Banerjee wrote.
She further cited the slow-paced growth of Index of Industrial Production, capital goods sector, mining and so on.
Stressing on unemployment, she said: “As stated earlier, the unemployment rate is highest in 45 years, 6.1 per cent in 2018-2019.”
Banerjee also hit out at the Central government’s active role in pursuing disinvestment of government assets like the Ordnance Factory Board, BSNL, Air India and about 45 more public sector undertakings.
“Investment in new projects plunged to a 15 years low in the quarter ending in June 2019. New projects announced in June quarter 2019 is 81 per cent lower than what was announced in March quarter 2019 and 87 per cent lower than the same period a year ago.
“Implementation of investment projects worth Rs. 13 trillion has been stalled — the highest value since CMIE began compiling data in 1995.
“FDI has shown a negative growth rate of 1.09 per cent in 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18,” she added.