Congress-Led UPA's 'Economic Mismanagement' In Focus As Government Set To Bring 'White Paper' In Parliament: Here's All You Need To Know

The government is likely to bring a 'white paper' in the Parliament today (8 February) on the economic mismanagement of Congress-led UPA government.

The ongoing Budget session has been extended by a day as the government prepares to present the 'white paper'.

A 'white paper' is an informational report that highlights policies, achievements and issues of the government.

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According to Stanford Law School, government papers are colour-coded for distribution and white is designated for public access.

Governments usually bring a white paper on a particular subject to discuss issues, suggest action, or draw a conclusion.

This comes as during her Interim Budget 2024 speech, Finance Minister Niramla Sitharaman announced that a 'white paper' will be presented in the Parliament on the economic crisis in the country before 2014.

"The crisis of those years has been overcome, and the economy has been put firmly on a high sustainable growth path with all-round development," the Finance Minister said.

"It is now appropriate to look at where we were then till 2014 and where we are now, only for the purpose of drawing lessons from the mismanagement of those years. The Government will lay a White Paper on table of the House," she added.

BJP leader and Standing Committee on Finance Chairman Jayant Sinha said that the central government's proposed 'White Paper' in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session will show a contrast between India's economic condition before and after 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi first came to power.

During a debate on the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Lok Sabha, Sinha said India was among the "fragile five" economies of the world during the previous UPA regime in 2013.

"India's GDP growth had slowed down to 5 per cent, inflation had risen to 10 per cent, NPAs of banks had risen to 10 per cent. The country was facing balance of payment crisis," the Jharkhand MP said, India Today reported.

"In the white paper, we will clarify what the position of the economy (before 2014) was...and how we tackled the economic problems," Sinha further said.

Meanwhile, in response to government's White Paper, Congress is reportedly planning to  bring 'Black Paper' on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 10 years of government against the BJP-led Centre's move.

The 'Black Paper' will be reportedly put forth by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

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