India can achieve 6.5 per cent economic growth, provided systemic reforms are carried out quickly by the new Government, said Ajay S Shriram, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

“With slowing growth and high inflation adversely impacting employment, the CII will urge the next Government to focus on reviving growth and generating new jobs,” he told reporters on Tuesday after unveiling the industry chamber’s action theme for the year ‘Accelerating Growth, Creating Employment’.

Revival package

The CII also proposed a 100-day action agenda for the new Government. “A strong economic revival package and right implementation of policies by a fresh Government can help create as many as 150 million jobs in the next 10 years.”

In the first 100 days of the next Government, the CII has called for introduction of Goods and Services Tax, containment of subsidies and fiscal consolidation, monetary easing, maintenance of a competitive exchange rate, fast-tracking stalled projects and increasing public capital investments, timely implementation of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor and National Investment and Manufacturing Zones, among others.

Key priorities

The industry chamber also outlined its key priorities for the coming year. It plans to focus on 10 areas — education, skills, economic growth, manufacturing sector growth, investments, ease of doing business, export competitiveness, legal and regulatory architecture, labour law reforms and entrepreneurship.

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