Govt has intensified process to retrieve black money: Gehlot

Amid opposition charge that the Narendra Modi government has failed to repatriate the black money stashed abroad, Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot today said the Centre has "intensified" the process to bring back the illegal wealth kept in foreign banks.

"The process to bring black money has been intensified. It has come to light that the list (of black money holders) is quite big. We are committed to bring back the black money and check corruption," the Social Justice and Empowerment minister said while addressing a press conference here.

He was responding to a query on his government's promise to repatriate black money, which had been described as the key priority by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"An SIT has been constituted which is looking after cases involving unaccounted money. Measures within the ambit of law are being taken on this matter, besides stringent laws have been enacted to check outflow of black money and corruption," he said.

Gehlot was in the state capital as part of a month-long "Vikas Parv" being observed to mark the completion of two years in the office of the Modi-led NDA government.

He briefed media on the achievements of the two years of NDA rule.

On the country's economic growth, the Union minister said, "When (former) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had taken the reigns of NDA government the growth rate was 4 percent which he boosted to 8.4 percent in six years.

"Unfortunately, during UPA government's rule, the growth rate slipped to 4.4 percent in 10 years. Today again the NDA government under Narendra Modi has boosted the growth rate to 7.5 percent in two years. The growth rate clearly indicates the success of this government," he said.

Gehlot said India's importance has increased globally since the Modi government assumed charge.

"Schemes and programmes implemented by this government in a transparent way have benefited the poorest of the poor in the country.

"Several schemes like Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna, Prime Minister Mudra Yojna and others launched by the NDA have helped in these two years to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor," he added.

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Mansukhbhai Dhanji Vasava, BJP state unit president Dharamlal Kaushik, Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal and others were also present on the occasion.