Poverty and unemployment figures cannot be reversed in one night: Arun Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said here on Thursday that the government cannot reverse poverty and unemployment figures in one night, it will take time.

In an exclusive interview to ANI's editor (News) Smita Prakash, Jaitley said, "It will take time in reversing unemployment and poverty figures as it cannot happen overnight and that is why if the growth rate increases so definitely we will achieve success in this direction."

"It's an ongoing process to reduce the poverty from this country. And it will happen only if it reduces by one or two percent every year," he added.

Talking about the social spending sector, Jaitley said, "Social spending should never be curtailed in this country. You will have to have a two pronged approach in tackling poverty."

Jaitley also said that the trickle down effect in GDP doesn't work alone.

"You have to raise resources from the growth and then distribute it amongst the people. That is additionally to be done. There is no contradiction between distribution of the surplus resource amongst the poor and a pull out of the poor from poverty which is enabled also by higher growth rates," said Jaitley.

Earlier today, Jaitley presented the General Budget for fiscal 2014-15 in the Lok Sabha.