NITI Aayog's Vice Chairman takes swipe at Rahul for 'farm loan waiver' tweet

NITI Aayog vice chairperson Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farmer loan waiver issue asserting that "Gandhi's (state) governments should do their work, others will do theirs."

Rejecting Congress president's tweet on farm loan waiver, Kumar defended the Narendra Modi-led central government saying, "I am sorry to say but things do not work according to Rahul Gandhi. The work that this government (NDA government) has done for the welfare of farmers has never been done earlier by any other government".

Recounting the work done by the ruling dispensation, the NITI Aayog vice chairperson said, "None other government dared to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee report. This government raised credit for farmers to Rs 10.50 lakh crore and introduced a crop insurance scheme in it. In my opinion, Rahul Gandhi to comment on this issue is completely useless. Rahul Gandhi's government should do their work, other governments will do what they think is right."

The Congress president earlier took a swipe at the Centre after the BJP governments in Assam and Gujarat sanctioned Rs.600 crore farm loan waiver and waived off electricity bills worth Rs. 650 crore in rural areas. "The Congress party has managed to wake the CMs of Assam & Gujarat from their deep slumber. PM is still asleep. We will wake him up too," Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday.

Rajiv Kumar also shared his thoughts on increasing demands of farmer loan waiver in different states saying, "Every state government has to consider their financial situation and the condition of their farmers, and considering these factors they have every right to take any decision. We cannot comment on it. It is the state governments' decision."

Kumar also endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement assuring that efforts will be made to ensure that 99 per cent of all items, including items commonly used by the public, are kept at a GST slab of 18 per cent or less.

"I believe that in future when GST collection increases, the slabs will reduce. With the reduction of slabs, the consumption demand increases and the economy gets a good boost. But this is all futuristic," he added.