No contradiction in being pro-biz, pro-poor: Arun Jaitley's Facebook update

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday updated his Facebook profile with a message saying there is no contradiction between the government being “pro-business and pro-poor”, countering charges that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government that took over in May is more inclined in favour of big business.

Taking such charges head on, Jaitley wrote on the social networking site, “Unless government gets revenue, it cannot build infrastructure and service the welfare schemes for the poor. By being pro-business and pro-poor, I am not contradicting but both have to exist at the same time.”

In his reply to the budget debate in Parliament, the finance minister had used the same argument to counter charges of pro-business bias. “Let me make a candid confession. If you say that I have helped the businesses, and, this budget is pro-business, yes, it is. I have no hesitation in saying that it is pro-business,” he had said.

“You need to be pro-industry. It is only then that you will gather sufficient revenue so that you are able to service the poor,” he added. The finance minister’s Facebook post is intended to reinforce the message that when business does well, the government will be in position to direct higher resources for the welfare of the people.