Modi govt is proud of high tax collection, doesn't see people's pain: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged the Narendra Modi government sees high tax collection as its big achievement but does not see the pain of the people who are troubled by the tax burden.

On the first day of the Budget Session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday presented the Economic Survey 2021-22 which said a strong revival in revenues and the government's agile fiscal policy approach have created headroom for additional fiscal support.

It also noted that gross tax revenue during April-November 2021 has grown by 50 per cent year-on-year, while the GST mop up remained above Rs 1 lakh crore mark since July 2021.

"The people of the country are troubled by the burden of tax collection, whereas for the Modi government the tax earnings are a big achievement. There is a difference of perception -- they see only their wealth, not the pain of the people," Gandhi said on the Economic Survey in a tweet in Hindi.

India will retain its tag of the world's fastest-growing major economy as the pre-Budget Economic Survey forecast an 8 to 8.5 per cent GDP growth in the fiscal year starting in April, saying it has the fiscal space to do more to support the economy and is well placed to meet the future challenges.

India is poised to wrest the title world-beating economy tag this fiscal with a projected growth of 9.2 per cent, and the widespread vaccine coverage, supply-side reforms and easing of regulations are going to support it in the next.