Sans policy paralysis, Modi has last word in our government: Jaitley

Reacting to former prime minister Manmohan Singh's criticism on the way the present government was handling key issues, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says it's now that the days of policy paralysis were over and that Congress party was to be blamed for legislative hurdles.

The finance minister also said decision-making in the present National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was with the executive, in a transparent manner, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having the last word -- unlike when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power.

He also disagreef with Manmohan Singh's charges that the government was ignoring the opposition.

"On consultations with the opposition, almost all political parties except the Congress, support the GST (gods and services tax). The Congress has done a volte face," said in a Facebook post, in a specific reaction to the former prime minister's interview to "India Today" magazine.

"Both the Parliamentary Affairs Minister (M. Venkaiah Naidu) and myself have discussed the GST with every senior Congress leader in Parliament. Is the Congress position on 'Constitutional cap' not motivated by real politics?," he queried.

"The economist in Dr. Singh should advice his party that tariffs are not provided for in the Constitution. This is what nation expects from the senior leaders and statesmen like former prime ministers."

Manmohan Singh had said in the interview that he had asked Modi to reach out to the opposition, but he found that he never spoke on key issued. "There has been no serious discussion with the Congress, whether it is on foreign policy or domestic policy and even on the GST."

Th former prime said there was also a crisis of confidence in the present government, one which the people don't believe in. He also said when industrialists meet ministers, they do hear the right things, but when they come out, they feel, nothing much has changed.

But Jaitley said it under Modi that key issues were being addressed transparently.

"It is the present government which is clearing up these accumulated challenges. Many stalled infrastructure projects have now started moving. India's journey is from 'policy-paralysis' to a global 'bright-spot', as the fastest growing economy moves on notwithstanding major challenges."