India has potential to achieve double-digit growth: Jaitley

India has the potential to achieve double-digit growth and the Union government is taking all the requisite steps in this direction, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley told mediapersons in Bhopal on Saturday.

During his daylong visit to the state, Jaitley said that China’s economic growth rate – which stood at over 9% for 33 long years – has normalised to around 7.5%.

“India is attracting investments, and has the chance to occupy the available global space for many years to come,” he said, referring to the latest Central Statistics Office report that India was achieving the fastest economic growth.

The minister started off by saying that lack of enthusiasm has given way to a new energy that’s coursing through the country.

The latest figures show that India has achieved remarkable growth in the manufacturing and service sectors, he said.

Admitting that agriculture growth has not been satisfactory, Jaitley blamed it on the poor monsoon last year.

“Had the monsoon been normal, the agriculture sector would have done better,” the minister said, adding that the Centre will take a leaf out of MP’s achievements in the sector and invest more in irrigation so that rain dependency is reduced.

Jaitley said that due to decisive leadership and transparent strong policies, the image of country has improved and he was confident that during the coming year, the country would achieve faster growth.

Praising MP's achievements, the minister said that the state has done quite well in basic infrastructure development and agriculture sectors and this has led to increase in rural purchasing power as well as productivity.

Defending the land acquisition bill, the finance minister said the policy and intention of the government was in favour of development and the bill had provisions like rural infrastructure, housing for poor, national security and others that were pro-nation.

ON RAHUL

On a question on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's offensive mode, Jaitley said that opposition has the right to raise issues, but the issues should be worth taking up and the debate should have a level of maturity.

“Sub-standard comments are not expected from senior leaders,” he said.

Similarly, he dismissed the comments of Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh related to "beef eating BJP ministers" by saying that a level of maturity was expected in debate.