Modi selling crown jewels of India: Rahul Gandhi on NMP
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Centre over the National Monetization Pipeline, saying that the Narendra Modi government is selling what Congress had built over 75 years. On Monday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the NMP scheme, which seeks to monetize "under-utilized" public sector assets worth Rs. 6 lakh crore over four years. Here are more details.
Scheme aims to create monopolies in key sectors: Gandhi
Addressing the media, Gandhi said the scheme aimed to help "two-three private players." He said the move will kill jobs as "only a few businesses will be left," adding that it will "benefit a few industrialist friends of the Modi government." Without naming the Ambanis and Adanis, Gandhi said, "You all know who is getting ports and airports. It is going to one company."
Modi selling assets built with public money: Gandhi
Citing the BJP's constant criticism that no development happened while the Congress party was in power, Gandhi said, "Yesterday, the Finance Minister decided to sell the assets that had been built over the past 70 years." The government mishandled the economy and is now "selling India's crown jewels" built by previous governments with public money as a "last resort," he alleged.
What is National Monetization Pipeline scheme?
Under the National Monetization Pipeline scheme, the Centre aims to monetize under-utilized public sector assets with the help of the private sector and "unlock" the value of "government investments and public money" in infrastructure. Notably, 25 Airport Authority of India airports, 40 railway stations, 15 railway stadiums, and unidentified numbers of railway colonies have been picked up for getting private investment.
A grand closing down sale: P Chidambaram
Congress leaders like Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram also took jibes at the ruling party over NMP. Tharoor said the BJP must at least now acknowledge that Congress governments had built the nation's assets. Chidambaram said, "This is a grand closing down sale. Virtually, there won't be any public sector undertakings left after the proposed 'roads-to-railways' monetization plan of the BJP government."
