Pranab Mukherjee optimistic about GDP growth

Kolkata, Dec 25 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has expressed optimism about the country's GDP growth for the year 2009-10.

He said this while inaugurating the 23rd Industrial India Trade Fair (IITF) here on Thursday.

Mukherjee predicted that the GDP's growth for the year 2009-10 could possibly be more than the assessments made by both the Indian Reserve Bank and the Economic Advisory Council of Prime Minister.

"Reserve Bank's assessment is it (GDP growth) would be around six percent for the year 2009-10. Economic Advisory Council of Prime Minister has indicated it would be anywhere between 6 to 6.5 percent but I have taken an optimistic approach and indicated growth for the year 2009-10 would be around 6.75 percent," predicted Mukherjee.

He also expressed his concern over the climate change and wished that the developed countries should shoulder the larger responsibility in ecological balance.

"Responsibility should be variable. Those who are responsible for polluting the Mother Earth, destroying the environmental balance, they must bear the larger share of the expenses for access to the clean technology and unless they accept that it is very difficult to emerge a consensus. Efforts were made and I am glad that at least four emerging economies, India, Brazil, South Africa and China, they had a common approach," added Mukherjee.

In the recently concluded Copenhagen Summit, the four BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) had agreed to international consultations and analysis of climate change mitigation steps that will be taken by them. (ANI)