No risk of India’s rating downgrade, says FM
NEW DELHI, March 24: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said there is no risk of India’s sovereign rating being downgraded as a result of higher deficits, as the Rajya Sabha returned the Finance Bill 2021 without suggesting any change to complete the Parliamentary approval for Budget 2021-22.
The Lok Sabha had on Tuesday approved the Finance Bill 2021 – which contains tax proposals for the next fiscal year beginning April 1 – after accepting some government amendments such as raising provident fund ceiling for tax-free interest to Rs 5 lakh and platforms such as Amazon not being liable for the equalisation levy as long as the goods and services listed are owned or provided by an Indian permanent establishment of the overseas entity.
The Bill was debated in the Upper House, which returned it without suggesting any change or amendment.
Replying to the debate, Sitharaman said the government does not see a risk of a sovereign rating downgrade because of incurring a higher deficit arising from increased spending being done to boost the economy.
“India enjoys an investment-grade rating and we are not foreseeing any change or any chance of a downgrade due to us incurring higher deficits,” she said, adding, the higher deficit was resulting from higher spending and increased borrowings.
Stating that economists and rating agencies are of the opinion that governments need to spend to put the pandemic-hit economies back on track, she said India too followed the same advice.
“So globally that is the advice everybody is receiving and we are also following. So it shouldn’t hurt our rating,” she said.
Sitharaman, however, had to curtail her speech following a verbal duel with TMC members over the implementation of Central government schemes in West Bengal.
Speaking in Bengali to reply to a speech made by TMC MP Dola Sen in that language, the minister said the West Bengal government did not give names of farmers for giving cash help under the PM Kisan Yojana and refused to implement the health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat in the State.
This led to vociferous protests from TMC members, with Sen saying, “We never refused... she is misleading.”
With a high-pitch electoral battle for West Bengal Assembly on between the BJP and TMC, Sen had drilled holes in Budget proposals, crying “lajja, lajja (shame, shame).”
Sitharaman returned favour, saying, “Central government wants to give poor farmers in Bengal Rs 10,000 crore but State government is not allowing it.”
“She (Sen) used word ‘lajja, lajja’ but I want to say is that (not allowing farmers cash) right? Lajja, lajja,” she said. “Again, Central government wants to start Ayushman Bharat for poor people in Bengal but State government is not letting it. Is that fair for poor man? Lajja, lajja.”
As infuriated TMC members continued to protest, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked the minister to conclude and then put the Finance Bill to vote.
The Bill and government amendments were approved by voice vote and the Bill returned. – PTI
