Sibal blames Oppn for stalling reform process

Sibal, the Minister for Communications and Information and Technology, said the opposition should go hand in hand with the government in taking forward the reforms agenda.

"There are several very very innovative schemes that we have put forward and we are expecting that Parliament would rise to the occasion to understand the importance and gravity of growth.

That unless we have double digit growth, atleast 9 percent growth, we'll not be able finance these schemes," Sibal said at a DAVP function to mark the launch of the Government of India Calendra 2013.

Sibal said there is no point moving forward with these schemes if the opposition does not allow the bills concerned to be passed in the Parliament.

"The bills are path-breaking, bills that will get the reform process forward and allow the Foreign Direct Investment to come in which to open up the banking sector, open up the insurance sector," he said.

Noting that the growth rate at the moment was around 5.5 percent, Sibal said that everyone, especially the opposition should be worried about this.

"In our country 60-70 percent of the people are poor and they need many resources and we can only run centrally sponsored schemes and give the money to state governments if our financial situation keeps pace," Sibal said.

"You (opposition) should hand in hand with the government take forward the reform agenda," he said.

Sibal said if there is growth through reforms, the benefits would accrue to the common man.

"I am concerned that we regularly take decisions in the Cabinet but when it comes to the Parliament, it is opposed in manner that the Parliament doesn't function," he added.