Pre-Truth — snappy, witty and significant snippets from the world of politics and government.
Industry chambers and public sector organisations gushing over the budget and placing huge newspaper ads congratulating the government and the finance minister for a job well done is an old tradition. But one such body seems to have been caught in a bind this year over who the finance minister of India is.
In its full-page jacket ad in The Indian Express on the morning after the budget, NAREDCO — National Real Estate Development Council — congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi “for announcing a revolutionary and citizen friendly budget 2019-20 for all class”. And then it went on to give India two finance ministers.
First, it designated Arun Jaitley “Union Finance Minister” under a picture of him even though Jaitley has been made Minister without portfolio after he took ill and went to the US for treatment.
NAREDCO then designated Piyush Goyal — the interim Finance Minister who presented the budget Friday — as “Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs, Railways and Coal”, under a picture of Goyal next to Jaitley.
Next to Goyal was Hardeep Singh Puri, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs. Puri is also the chief patron of NAREDCO, an autonomous self-regulatory body established under the aegis of his ministry. Its office bearers include the who’s who of India’s real estate sector. Seems like they don’t want to take any chances when it comes to being on the right side of the powers that be at the top of the Modi government.
I don’t under the concept of Minister without portfolio. It seems it was long back introduced when portfolios could not be allocated or someone not satisfied with ministry likely to be allotted. Under Vajpayee NDA Mamta was not allowed to take charge of Coal by her supporters with slogan Koyla to maila as they wanted her to get railway so she took oath as Minister without portfolio and now Jaitley as he is unwell. Either he should be a Union Minister of Blog or Minister without responsibility!
Real finance minister is one who implements free market trade and gives zero freebies subsidies reservation loan waivers. Such minister doesn’t exist in Bharat.