Direct benefit transfer results in `50,000 crore savings: Shah

The direct benefit transfer programme has resulted in Rs 50,000 crore savings for the government in the last three years as funds were directly transferred to 32 crore needy people, BJP president Amit Shah has said.

The Aadhaar-linked DBT scheme, he said, has helped in plugging leakages, removing middlemen and eliminating ghost beneficiaries.

As many as 32 crore people received funds in form of subsidies directly into their bank accounts resulting in savings of nearly Rs 50,000 crore to the exchequer over the last three years, he said. Citing various achievements of the Narendra Modi-led government, Shah said, both direct and indirect taxes have witnessed a growth rate of 20 per cent, which is unprecedented in the history of independent India.

"On the economic front, the BJP-led government has performed very well. We are the fastest growing nation in the world and inflation by and large is under control," he said.

Listing out the government's high points during 2016-17, Shah said, there were many like "highest urea production, largest gas connection distribution, record coal and power production, highest national highway and rural road construction, vehicle manufacturing, biggest ever software export and highest ever forex reserve".

Besides, he said his party "BJP had achieved the greatest political gain during the year".

He further said that interest rates have been reduced remarkably and fiscal deficit has been reined in at 3.9 per cent in 2015-16.

It was under the NDA regime, the country saw a 5.1 per cent industrial growth and 4 per cent agriculture growth and also 45 per cent rise in FDI inflows, the BJP national president said, adding that exports also surged after registering a slowdown. As a result, he said, per capita income has increased by Rs 10,000 to cross Rs 1-lakh mark at Rs 1.03 lakh.

On soaring financial markets, Shah said both key indices Sensex and Nifty have touched their record highs, triggered by the positive sentiment.

With regard to Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said, "We have moved ahead with it and it will be implemented soon."