Huge task ahead
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has defended his record of reforming India's stuttering economy after two years in power, but conceded that his right-wing government faced "an enormous task ahead".
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published yesterday, his second anniversary in office, Modi said he had set a path for faster growth, including opening up the economy to foreign investment and curbing corruption.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. But Modi also said he needed India's 29 states to take up the challenge of reforming land purchasing and rigid labour laws, which businesses have long complained hamper manufacturing and development.
"I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms," Modi said. But, he added, "I have an enormous task ahead for myself."
The Hindu nationalist premier swept to power at elections in May 2014 with the biggest mandate in 30 years, promising to reform and revive the struggling economy.
Meanwhile, the Congress yesterday described the two years of the Narendra Modi government as disappointing because it had failed on all fronts, including in reviving the economy, reports IANS.
"This government lives on advertisements. This government has totally failed to revive the economy. Core sector growth negligible. Rupee is sliding, inflation is very high and job creation is lowest. The Prime Minister had promised 10 crore jobs per year but job creaton (rate) is 1.32 lakh," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here as the BJP-led NDA government completed its two years of government.
"It is the two years of disappointment and the big achievements of this government are creation of social tension, provocation by BJP leaders, unnecessary controversies and mob violence," said Azad, who is also the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress also lashed out at the Narendra Modi government's "consistently inconsistent" foreign policy.
"The foreign policy of the government is consistently inconsistent vis-a-vis China and Pakistan," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media.