Ananth Kumar ji, while making his observations, stated that we inherited an excellent economy from the NDA and we have spoilt it by total mismanagement. The sum of total of his observation was that there is a total mismanagement of the economy and that an excellent economy which we had inherited from NDA. It is true NDA was in office for uninterrupted six years. Of course, there was a break during the Lok Sabha elections. But the Exeuctive continued to stay from 1998 till 2004. In these six years, what was the average GDP growth rate? The average GDP growth rate was 5.8 per cent. What was the annual average fiscal deficit? It was 5.5 per cent. What was the revenue deficit? It was 4.4 per cent. Sir, now just to compare the period where the allegations is that we have spoled, we have destroyed during the five years period of UPA, including the year of unprecedented financial crisis and melt-down, where the growth has slowed down, where the fiscal deficit has increased, where the revenue deficit has increased, where in my own Budget speech I have admitted this, what is the total average performance of five years? The GDP growth rate is 8.6 per cent compared to 5.8 per cent. Fiscal deficit is 4.1 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent. Revenue deficit is 2.5 per cent compared to 4.0 per cent. We are told we have destroyed the economy. I leave the question to the hon. Members to find an answer. Let us take into account certain other indicators. The tax GDP ratio during the six years' period of NDA was 8.8 per cent. During the five-year period of UPA, it is 11.1 per cent. It was a dismal performance. Here, I can tell one point to them that this is for the first time that there has been little less but thanks to Dr. Manmohan Singh, when the was finance minister.
