Mumbai: Justifying the Centre’s policies, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said that pro-business and pro-poor are not contradictory and both have to exist at the same time. Mr Jaitley lashed out at the policies of the previous UPA regime for the decline in growth rate, sharp fall in the manufacturing sector and high inflation.
Addressing a function organised by the Mumbai unit of the BJP, Mr Jaitley said that a pro-business policy enhances economic activities that would give the government bigger revenues to serve the poor.
“Yes, I am pro-business and I don’t think there’s anything wrong in it,” Mr Jaitley said, adding, “I need investment. I believe people both within and outside India will invest in the country that will lead to economic activity. That will generate jobs. If there are profits it will generate more economic activities that will give the government its revenue. How will I make infrastructure and serve the poor until and unless I have money in my pocket.”
