<p>Congress on Saturday termed as “frivolous and trivial” the austerity measures announced by the government to curb expenditure and suggested review of big ticket projects such as the bullet train and redevelopment of central vista.</p>.<p>As India battles the Covid-19 pandemic, the Modi government has put curbs on expenditures such as distribution of bags and mementos, papers, discouraging celebration of foundation days besides a rethink on hiring of consultants.</p>.<p>“How much are you going to save? Few thousands, few lakhs, that is not going to make any difference, actually the Government should reconsider all those projects by which you are trying to derive publicity… those projects should be stopped,” Congress spokesman Rajeev Shukla told reporters here.</p>.<p>Shukla singled out projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train that is expected to cost Rs one lakh crore and the redevelopment of the Central Vista at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore.</p>.<p>“If your economy is not able to bear the burden of that kind of projects, you should stop them temporarily. You can definitely go in for these projects when the economy improves, but, not for now,” the former union minister for planning said.</p>.<p>Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram also hit out at the Finance Ministry, accusing it of misleading the people on economic recovery post-Covid-19.</p>.<p>“MoF does not have a word of explanation for the unprecedented negative growth in Q1 of 2020-21. But it is back to its old game of misleading the people of India and predicting a V shaped recovery,” Chidambaram said.</p>.<p>He was referring to remarks by senior finance ministry officials who predicted a sharp rise in economic growth after contraction to the tune of nearly 24% in the first quarter of 2021 fiscal.</p>.<p>‘The people have not forgotten that the V shaped recovery has been promised by MoF for the last 15 months,” the senior Congress leader said.</p>
<p>Congress on Saturday termed as “frivolous and trivial” the austerity measures announced by the government to curb expenditure and suggested review of big ticket projects such as the bullet train and redevelopment of central vista.</p>.<p>As India battles the Covid-19 pandemic, the Modi government has put curbs on expenditures such as distribution of bags and mementos, papers, discouraging celebration of foundation days besides a rethink on hiring of consultants.</p>.<p>“How much are you going to save? Few thousands, few lakhs, that is not going to make any difference, actually the Government should reconsider all those projects by which you are trying to derive publicity… those projects should be stopped,” Congress spokesman Rajeev Shukla told reporters here.</p>.<p>Shukla singled out projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train that is expected to cost Rs one lakh crore and the redevelopment of the Central Vista at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore.</p>.<p>“If your economy is not able to bear the burden of that kind of projects, you should stop them temporarily. You can definitely go in for these projects when the economy improves, but, not for now,” the former union minister for planning said.</p>.<p>Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram also hit out at the Finance Ministry, accusing it of misleading the people on economic recovery post-Covid-19.</p>.<p>“MoF does not have a word of explanation for the unprecedented negative growth in Q1 of 2020-21. But it is back to its old game of misleading the people of India and predicting a V shaped recovery,” Chidambaram said.</p>.<p>He was referring to remarks by senior finance ministry officials who predicted a sharp rise in economic growth after contraction to the tune of nearly 24% in the first quarter of 2021 fiscal.</p>.<p>‘The people have not forgotten that the V shaped recovery has been promised by MoF for the last 15 months,” the senior Congress leader said.</p>
