Deora urges Sitharaman to travel to Mumbai to interact with small traders, vendors

Congress leader Milind Deora on Tuesday urged Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to travel to Mumbai to interact with small traders and vendors and not limit policy-making only to a select few who have access to Delhi.

In a statement, Deora said once the world's fastest growing economy, India is coming dangerously close to going off the rails.

"The sputtering economy needs urgent attention and radical changes to avert a crisis. Economic constraints in the developed world are adding immense pressure on the already weakening rupee. India's stagnating growth story is pushing us to the periphery of the world's investment radar," he said.

Deora said the recent social unrest in India has dented our image as a socially and politically stable country that is conducive to doing business.

"In the run up to the Union Budget 2020-2021, I urge Nirmala Sitharaman ji to travel to Mumbai to interact with small traders & vendors, industry and other stakeholders.? ?Don't limit policy-making only to a select few who can access New Delhi," he said.

"I am certain that the government alone cannot find solutions to the deepening crisis. In such extraordinary times, India's economic capital should be better engaged through a process of thorough consultations. By now, India's Finance minister should have visited Mumbai to meet with representatives of traditional markets, MSMEs, industry captains and representatives from banking and finance," the Congress leader said.

He noted that if the Finance Ministry is sincere about presenting an inclusive, representative and impactful Union Budget on February 1, it is still not too late for the Finance minister to undertake the time-honoured tradition of visiting Mumbai and lending a patient ear to all stakeholders so that their suggestions may be considered and acted upon in the economic interest of the nation.

"Restricting policy-making only to the select few who have access to New Delhi reeks of arrogance and imprudence," Deora alleged.

His remarks come in the wake of the ongoing pre-budget consultations held with various sections of the society and industry ahead of the February 1 budget.