We Are Not 'Selling Off' Anything Through National Monetisation Plan: FM Sitharaman Responds To Congress

"Does he (Rahul Gandhi) understand what monetization is?" Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while addressing media in Mumbai earlier in the day.

Rahul Gandhi (L), Nirmala Sitharman (R)

Mumbai: We are not "selling off" anything through the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP), and there will be definite "handing back" of assets being monetized, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified on Wednesday, a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Finance Minister decided to sell the assets that had been built over the past 70 years.

Finance Minister on Monday announced a four-year road map for a Rs 6-lakh-crore asset monetization plan, a large chunk of which will be through brownfield assets of central ministries and public sector entities across roads, railways, and power.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre "destroyed what the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) built and now, as a last resort, they are selling everything that we had helped create," alleged Mr. Gandhi. 

Responding to Mr. Gandhi's allegations, Ms. Sitharaman said, "I will ask the opposition to do some homework. I doubt if he (Rahul) even understands monetization. They (Congress) sold our air, water, and minerals. We are putting brownfield assets which are being underutilized to better use by the process of monetization."

Launching a scathing attack on the opposition, Ms. Sitharaman asked, who sold the Rs 8000 crore Mumbai-Pune expressway? Under the Congress government, headed by Sonia Gandhi, a request for proposal (RFQ) to lease out New Delhi Railway Station was floated.

Recalling the famous incident where Rahul Gandhi tore off an ordinance when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, Sitharaman asked why he didn't tear off the RFP. "If he indeed is against monetization, why was the RFP on the monetization of NDLS torn to pieces by Rahul Gandhi? And if this is monetization, did they sell off the New Delhi railway station? Is it owned by jijaji (brother-in-law) now? Does he understand what monetization is?"

Referring to the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, the FM said, within one CWG, they finished all that which can be creamed out into the accounts of their cronies. 

The FM reassured that Life insurance, General Insurance, and Reinsurance are crucial sectors where there will always be government presence (though bare minimum). 

She was in Mumbai to unveiled the fourth edition of the public sector bank (PSB) Reforms Agenda' EASE 4.0' for 2021-22.