New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel asserted Saturday that his state’s economy was beating the nationwide economic slowdown, and offered a piece of advice to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman — empower the common person.
Baghel said Chhattisgarh had managed to shield itself from the slowdown, and farmers and traders were extremely happy with his Congress government, which took over the state about a year ago.
He said the automobile sector was growing at a rate of 25 per cent in Chhattisgarh while shrinking drastically across the country, while the jewellery sector was also booming.
Baghel said the problem afflicting the economy right now was a fall in demand, so the government needed to empower the consumer.
“My suggestion is to give money to the common man, housewives and farmers to revive the economy. There is no point in giving money to big companies,” Baghel said in conversation with ThePrint’s Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta at an ‘Off the Cuff’ event in New Delhi.
“Whether it is workers or farmers, until they have money to spend, we can’t fix the problem of demand or the economy,” the CM said.
Also read: Economy to Citizenship Bill – Accusations pile on PM Modi, but he could not care less
‘Will oppose GST hike’
The CM also hit out at the central government for contemplating a hike in GST rates, saying it would be detrimental to a producer state like Chhattisgarh, and would only benefit the central government.
“We will oppose the increase in GST rates,” Baghel said. “It is against the interests of the producing states.”
He also said the Modi government was yet to release more than half the Rs 1,750 crore due to the state under GST, but if it didn’t, his government would raise the money itself for the benefit of farmers.
“If they don’t give us the money for our farmers, will take care of them ourselves by raising money by other means,” he said.
(Edited by Shreyas Sharma)
Also read: Is RBI right in not cutting interest rate even as it downgrades growth forecast to 5%?
