Manmohan takes potshots at note ban, 'hasty' rollout of GST


New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI): Former prime minister Manmohan Singh today again warned of demonetisation and "hasty" implementation of GST adversely impacting GDP growth.

Singh, who had previously cautioned against note ban shaving off 2 percent of GDP, said demonetisation of 86 percent of the currency in circulation and the hasty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have impacted informal and small-scale sectors, which account of about 40 percent of the USD 2.5-trillion economy.

"Both demonetisation and the GST have had some impact (on GDP growth)," he said. "Both would affect the informal sector, the small-scale sector... the sectors today are responsible for 40 percent of GDP."

Ninety percent of India's employment is in the informal sector, he told CNBC-TV 18.

"And the withdrawal of 86 percent of currency plus also GST, because it has been put on practice in haste, there are lots of glitches which are now coming out. These are bound to affect the GDP growth adversely," he remarked.

On November 25 last year, some two weeks after old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes were junked, Singh had in his Parliament speech termed demonetisation a "monumental mismanagement", "organised loot" and "legalised plunder" which would cause GDP growth to fall by 2 percent.

GDP growth in the first quarter of current fiscal slumped to a three-year low of 5.7 percent, down from 7.9 per cent in April-June quarter of 2016. In January-March quarter, the growth declined to 6.1 percent from 8 percent in the year-ago quarter.

The government had blamed de-stocking ahead of the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 1 as the primary reason for the fall in the GDP growth rate.

GST unified more than a dozen central and state levies like excise duty, service tax and VAT, but its implementation has seen technical glitches with the registration and tax filing portal, forcing the government to postpone return deadlines.

In April, when the supporting GST bill was passed in Parliament, the former prime minister had hailed it as a "game-changer" while cautioning against the difficulties in its implementation.

On August 30, the Reserve Bank of India said nearly 99 percent of the Rs 15.44 lakh crore junked currency had returned to the banking system, raising questions on the efficacy of the government's note ban decision that was aimed at curbing corruption and black money.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Aubb, Kuwait

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    India now laughing stock of the world.
    Thanks to aimless, self destructive U turn policies.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • skm, lnow

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Dr Manmohanji need to speak more and more as he is now free from all shackles, though he may be a Cong Man. Nation will be richer from his knowledge, experience, profile and intellect and command over Indian Economy.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    The keypoint raised by the eminent economist Mr Singh is the prevalence of 90% of India's economy in the informal sector.

    The informal sector creates huge employment, even more so than its formal counterpart, and India needs the informal sector until progressively it transforms into the formal sector over many decades, or even longer.

    For example a small-holding farmer might need a labourer just for a day. The economy cannot expect the farmer to fill up all the forms to various Government departs just to hire a labourer for a day.

    The informal sector is not just India's problem. It exists even in the 1st world countries.

    What the current Government of Yale visitors is doing is forcibly convert the informal sector into a formal sector overnight. And that has killed the proverbial golden goose.

    This killing of the golden goose will have ramifications on the foreign direct investment in the foreseeable future.

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • vincent rodrigues, Katapadi/Bangalore

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    He need to speak more and speak about the defective policies of the present government to guide the people

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ahmed K. C., Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    He is a great economist. I have not seen anyone's profile matching to his. But, someone is making fun of his harwood education and boasting own hardwork.
    Hardwork tho Gadha bhi karta hai. But, wo Horse race mein bhaag nahi sakta.
    Desh chalana rasoi ka kaam nahi.
    Patti, cheeni aur doodh dala aur chaai ban gayi.

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • MN, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    So called "Economist" are also scam specialists ! Only "Kichdi" pak rahee thi.

    DisAgree [3] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Aravind, Blr

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Finally he spoke...

    DisAgree [7] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • C.T. Thomas, Nandalike

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    No use Mr. MMS. You have gone down in history as the caretaker of the 'Gandhis' more than a PM. The countless scams and the reduction of the grand old party to 44 speaks about it.

    DisAgree [15] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • leslie, udupi

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Effects of any actions leave results...
    Today I have friends crying their land can not be sold...
    Real estate is back bone of any economy...
    It is in tatters today due to these misdeeds...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    How they were able to sell land earlier?
    Offer 50% discounts. Definitely someone will come up...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakesh, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    If you had own some land / property and in need to sell the same for any urgent reasons, you would not have given these kind of foolish ideas. its always easy to see smoke when someones house is burning and the heat will be felt only the fire catches to own house.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Honnappa, Byadagi

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    In India some people think that a person who talks loudly is considered as good leader. Not so. A leader should not talk unnecessarily . His actions should speak for him. A great leader is one whose actions are followed by his enemies even after he leaves . Elders used to say " Matu Belli Mouna Bangara".

    DisAgree [1] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • MILAN, LUCERNE

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    TIMES NOW AND REPUBLIC GOT EXPOSED. THEY ARE THE WON WHO SHOWED DEMOTISATION WILL BE GREAT SUCESS AND TARGETTING CONGRESS FOR OPPOSING

    DisAgree [4] Agree [52] Reply Report Abuse

  • S.M. Nawaz Kukkikatte, Dubai

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Only Sensible Indians (except andh Bhakths) realize how MMS worked hardly to improve our Indian Economy.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [55] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    I hope you understand economics...
    How central bank control interest rates, issue lot of loans to other banks, etc.
    What MMS did as Rbi governor ? Printed lot of currency notes, reduced interest rates so loans become cheaper etc.
    The same way current government continuing. In future we will go for 0% interest rate...

    DisAgree [50] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Umesh Shetty, Kaup/Dubai

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    sri_elder, Karkala , before commenting try to understand rules & regulations for printing currency notes. as per you, anybody can print notes according to their needs LOL

    DisAgree [1] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    @Umesh- 20 years back there was no currency counting machines in banks. Later came MMS and printed lot of cash legally. And he became good economist...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [1] Report Abuse

  • Rathan, Mangalore

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Kukkikatte
    You r right MMS hardly worked to stop curruption and the effect demonization
    will be reflected in next few years tax collection and total
    improvement of the economy

    DisAgree [6] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aravind, Blr

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Whose side are you on anyways...:D..... working hardly is very different from working hard. You chose the correct expression though. :D

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Manmohan singh is such a mastermind, speak less do more 👊👏💯❤Singh is King.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [100] Reply Report Abuse

  • neeth, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Wow...did'not know that this guy can speak...

    DisAgree [91] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Surendra Poojari, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Whenever he talks, he talks sense. Where as current PM is just talks and no results..

    DisAgree [9] Agree [119] Reply Report Abuse

  • Salvador Pereira, Mangalore/Dubai

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Speech is silver, Silence is Gold.
    Now a days Speeches have become Senseless and full of lies. MMS is a great leader,

    DisAgree [1] Agree [55] Reply Report Abuse

  • Abdul Aleem Faroqui, UAE

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    When he speaks, all hawabaazi fekugiri total bandh...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Satya, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    It is still not too late for Modi, to swallow his pride, hide his arrogance, show some humility and seek advice and guidance from Dr. Manmohan Singh on how to bring the economy which he has wrecked back on track. I am sure That Dr. Singh will forgive him in the interests of the nation.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [108] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    One need to come out of comfort zone to achieve in life.
    Technical glitches can be fixed and go forward. They are not permanent barriers.
    Experiments need to be done...
    So they will do better in coming days...

    DisAgree [87] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Henry Mathias, Kinnigoli

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    At what cost sir ??

    DisAgree [3] Agree [41] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aravind, Blr

    Tue, Sep 19 2017

    Reforms and development come at a cost. The four lane highway you enjoy driving on, came on someone's land. The water you use for irrigation from dams, came from someone's submerged land. There is a price for everything. Unfortunate, but that is the reality and development cannot stop.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [3] Report Abuse

  • AndhBhakth, Pandora

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    If our soft spoken Dr.Manmohanji is deliberately mentioning about the GDP ,then just imagine what blunder have the current government implemented like a illiterate just for a showcase.He is a reputed economist unlike other ministers presently who has achieved nothin except the ministerial post and money.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [75] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sahan, Bajpe/Dubai

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    Oh!!! Mr. Manmohah singh comeback again as PM of India

    DisAgree [7] Agree [77] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jenifer, Mangalore

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    MMS government had put a slow/systematic process by creating Aadhar data base but the Tea-seller wanted all to happen within the five years of his rule. Well, hot-hot bowls of soup, back-to-back.

    Let the people decide if they benefited out of it, or not. Because, May 2014 is not the last Assembly elections to take place in India.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [66] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Mon, Sep 18 2017

    The entire world is now ridiculing ...

    DisAgree [7] Agree [96] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Manmohan takes potshots at note ban, 'hasty' rollout of GST



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