Centre Should Take Effective Steps to Deal With Economic Slowdown – CM
Jaipur, November 2. Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot has said that the country's economy was facing a severe slowdown. Industrial units are closing down — about 10 lakh jobs lost in the auto sector alone. Investment is declining due to the environment of fear and violence. In such a scenario, the union government must take adequate steps to improve the economy.
Shri Gehlot was addressing a function on the occasion of inaugurating a new hostel of the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewelry (IIGJ) at Sitapura in Jaipur on Saturday. He said that the entire world was facing an economic crisis during the regime of Dr. Manmohan Singh, and the central government took adequate measures to strengthen the country's economy.
The CM said that today, the youth in India were losing jobs, but nobody talked about the promise of two crore jobs every year. The UPA government prepared a draft of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the idea of ‘One Nation, One Tax.' During that period, the entire opposition was against this. But, on a change of regime, the same people implemented the GST scheme. “It has many tax slabs, but no foolproof system. It has forced the GST Council to amend the tax rates vary frequently. Such a scenario is very irritating for the traders and businessmen,” he added.
Shri Gehlot said that the GST collection had declined in the country, and the state governments are also facing the heat. Rajasthan had not received a sum-total of Rs. 7,000 crore towards the state's share, including a grant from the center. It had hampered developmental works, he said.
The CM added that the state government was taking various measures to increase investment in Rajasthan. “The state being very resourceful in terms of its mineral wealth, the government is taking steps in the direction of its coherent exploitation,” he said. “About 40 percent of petroleum oil is being produced in Rajasthan, and the setting up of a petroleum refinery in Barmer is progressing fast. It will provide a good number of employment opportunities in the state. We are also improving the Single Window System for the industrial sector to make it effective and will soon bring a new investment promotion policy,” he added.
Shri Gehlot said that the subsequent governments in India worked towards strengthening democracy.
He said, “In a democracy, the role of the public is significant. And the people of India have shown their spirit time and again in favor of democracy.” Further adding that the opposition too had no less important role to play in a democracy, and the ruling party should take them along on all significant decisions. “Unfortunately, there is no such scenario today. A disagreement has its own space and value in a mature democracy. But, today, the voices of dissent on the government's policies and decisions are being silenced,” he added.
The Chief Minister also said the words of praise for the new hostel building of the IIGJ. He said that the out-station students would have a better learning environment while staying in this facility for their training courses. Added that the state government would provide all possible help to the gems and jewelry sector. He called upon the traders and business people of the gems and jewelry sector to come forward in making resources available for establishing the proposed Gems Bourse in Jaipur.
Chairman of the Gems and Jewelry Export Promotion Council Shri Pramod Agarwal gave a detailed overview of the gems and jewelry sector.
On this occasion, the Deputy Chief Whip in Rajasthan Assembly Shri Mahendra Chaudhary, MLA Shri Rafiq Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Industries Shri Subodh Agarwal, Managing Director of RIICO Shri Ashutosh AT Pednekar, Chairperson of IIGJ Shri Rajeev Jain and the office bearers of jewelers' association were present.
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