AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has promised the industry a business regime free of government interference and unnecessary inspections and licences if voted to power.
“The Government has no business to be in business. Business should be left to the private sector,” he said, said addressing the National Council of CII, where he unveiled the economic policy of his party.
Security, justice and corruption-free administration will be the three essentials that AAP will focus on, Kejriwal said.
“No party talks about these three things. They talk development — but how can there be development if these three are not there?” he asked.
Not anti-business The AAP leader assured Indian industry that he is not anti-business. After all, jobs are created by businesses and there are so many jobless people in the city looking for employment. “I am not against capitalism, but crony capitalism,” he said. The key to a good business environment is to remove corruption, have a stable tax regime and a good judicial system, he added.
Reaching out to the business community, Kejriwal said the Income-Tax Department viewed every businessman as a thief and, with expansion in business, the level of suspicion grew. “Ninety-nine per cent of people want to work with honesty. This (misconception) has to change,” he said.
The AAP chief also promised to end inspector and licence raj. “There are 31 inspectors that visit shops. The extortionist system has to change,” he added.
Taking on the UPA government, Kejriwal said there wasn’t much in the interim Budget presented on Monday.
“In the last 10 years you are seeing UPA rule. We have the world’s best economist here, but are you happy? No.” Kejriwal said.
What is lacking in the economic policy is honest politics, he said. Since it is not there, it can’t be good economics, he said, answering his own question.
Kejriwal added that with good governance, a lot of ills can be taken care of. Giving an example, he said that during his short stint as Delhi CM, he had taken steps to sort out Delhi traders’ unhappiness with VAT. “I would make traders specify what their problem was and what needed to be changed,” he said.