New Delhi, Mar. 6 (ANI): Expressing concern over the current slowdown in industrial growth, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the UPA Government will continue to focus on inclusive growth.
Dr. Singh said the government is fully capable of putting the country back on a high-growth path of 7-8 percent.
“We need to increase investment in infrastructure. Aim to achieve GDP of 8 percent in 12th Plan,” he said, while winding up the discussion on the motion of thanks on the President”s address in the Lok Sabha.
Dr. Singh noted that the average economic growth rate of the country in nine years of UPA rule was 7.9 percent, while a GDP growth of 6 percent was recorded in the six years of the rule of BJP-led NDA alliance.
“Our average growth rate in these nine years has been 7.9 percent, during the NDA tenure growth was no more than percent,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the agricultural growth in the UPA period was 3.5 percent compared with only 2.9 percent per year in the NDA rule (1998-99 to 2003-04).
“During UPA rule poverty declined by 2 percent and during previous regime it was 0.8 percent. During UPA rule, industrial growth rate is 8.5 per cent, during NDA rule it was 5.6 percent,” said Dr. Singh.
“The improved performance in agriculture is reflected in the growth of per capita consumption in rural areas,” he added. (ANI)