Economy growth very healthy: FM

The country's economy is growing at a very healthy rate as per the parameters set by the finance ministry, Union finance minister Jaswant Singh said here Monday.

Singh said the 10.4 per cent growth achieved under the BJP-led National Democratic Front (NDA) government at the Centre in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year was the highest-ever quantitative rate achieved by any government at the Centre.

"The growth rate has increased considerably as per the milestones set by the finance ministry for the year," Singh said while addressing a media conference at Taj Residency Ummed.

He was in Gujarat to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

"We are now awaiting the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy. Regarding the appreciation of the rupee, I can say that it should not be compared with the dollar as the US currency has declined much in the past months. The appreciation is there and it is evident in the exports," Singh said.

The minister said, "There is no question of sending Indian troops to Iraq as the situation in that country is not favourable and there is no UN mandate in this respect yet. The Cabinet Committee on Security also has a similar opinion."

On the Gujarat government's proposed 'Sujalam Sufalam' programme for reaching water for irrigation across the state and to provide drinking water to every village, Singh said, "Across the country, the deepest concern is now water crisis. The NDA government has been working on sorting out the problem. This plan initiated by the Gujarat government is a step in the right direction and the Centre has already agreed to fund the project. The scheme will focus mainly on the drought-affected districts such as Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Dahod, Kutch, Patan and Surendranagar."

Singh said Rs 6,237 crore is needed for implementation of the project in Gujarat. The state government will fund around Rs 550 crore from the state Budget and the rest will be brought in by the central government under various schemes.

Singh said no person with a foreign origin should hold the important posts of the prime minister or the president of India.

"Such rules are there in most of the countries and even in Italy," he said, without naming Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Asked how a person of foreign origin could become the leader of the Opposition in the Indian parliament, Singh said, "This has been decided by Congress and they should respond to this question."

Later on the day, Singh had a meeting with the members of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ahmedabad.