Unleash animal spirits to make India fastest growing economy: FM Nirmala Sitharaman to India Inc

Photo: AFP


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday urged India Inc to unleash ‘animal spirits’ and bring in fresh investment to make India one of the fastest growing economies of the world.

“Government has taken several steps including reduction in corporate tax rate to facilitate investment,” the minister said while speaking at the All India Management Association (AIMA) event.

“I would like now, to see private investors and private industry in India coming forward with that, so-called animal spirits to show that it is possible for India (to be) one of the fastest growing economies,” she added.

The expression ‘animal spirits’ was coined by celebrated economist John Maynard Keynes to refer to investors’ confidence in taking action in terms of investment.

Sitharaman said that such governmental steps can unleash entrepreneurial energy, which is required to sustain higher growth.

“We need capacities to be ramped up, we need expansion, we need more production of very many such products, which are so required for the economy,” she said.

Post tax reduction, she said, “I have been waiting to see expansion happening, I’ve been waiting to see greater investments from private sector in India.”

With an aim to revive growth and support India Inc., government in September 2019 slashed corporate tax rate by almost 10 percentage points.