CHENNAI:
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman
on Thursday said that there was nothing wrong in
imports
to spur growth but wondered why even Ganesha idols should be bought from China.
Importing raw materials that were not available in the country and needed for our industries was not wrong, she said addressing BJP’s
Tamil Nadu unit workers via a virtual link.
“There is nothing wrong in imports that would spur
production
and create
job opportunities
and it can be done definitely,” she said while speaking on the Centre’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan initiative.
“However, imports that could not bring benefits like employment opportunities and support growth would not help selfreliance and the Indian economy,” she said. “Today, why even Ganesha idols are imported from China... why such a situation... can’t we make a Ganesha idol from clay, is it the situation,” she asked.
She wondered if importing household products of everyday use, like a soap box, plastic items or incense sticks used for pooja purposes, would support self-reliance especially when such products were made locally.