Debt per Indian increased from Rs 43,124 to Rs 1,09,373 in 9 yrs: Cong

New Delhi, Jan 22 The Congress on Sunday alleged that debt per Indian has increased from Rs 43,124 to Rs 1,09,373 in the last nine years, and has become 2.53 times more than what it was in 2014.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh alleged that the total outstanding debt of the Government of India, which was 55.87 lakh crore as on March 31, 2014, would be estimated to go up to Rs 155.31 lakh crore by March 31, 2023.

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Vallabh said, "As per IMF for 2022, our Debt to GDP was 83 per cent, far above our peers, emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), which have average Debt of 64.5 per cent.

"As per reports, the wealthiest 5 per cent in India now own more than 60 per cent of the country's total wealth, while the bottom half of the population (50 per cent) together share just 3 per cent of the wealth.

"On the other side, 64 per cent  of the total Rs 14.83 lakh crore in Goods and Services Tax (GST) came from the bottom 50 per cent of the population, with only 3 per cent of GST coming from the top 10 per cent .

"So, the above borrowing is just helping in the K-shaped recovery, with some sectors doing well but not others. The pandemic hit the middle- and low-income groups and small and medium industries harder. As a result, growth in consumption (PFCE*) fell from 25.9 per cent in Q1 of FY23 to 9.7 per cent in Q2," he alleged.

The Congress questioned, "Why has Debt per Indian increased from Rs 43,124 to Rs 1,09,373 in the last nine years, a jump of 2.53 times? From 1947 till March 31, 2014, the total debt of the Government of India increased to Rs 55.87 lakh crore; why, in the last nine years, it grew to Rs 155.31 lakh crore a jump of 2.77 times?

"Why is the money borrowed just helping in a K-shaped recovery, with 50 per cent population owning 3 per cent of total wealth and ending up paying 64 per cent of the GST collected?" he added