Prepare for attack by government ministers on IMF, Gita Gopinath: Chidambaram on growth forecast

New Delhi, January 21

With the International Monetary Fund lowering India’s economic growth estimate for the current fiscal to 4.8 per cent, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday claimed an attack on the world body and its chief economist Gita Gopinath by government ministers was imminent.

He also alleged that the growth figure of 4.8 per cent given by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is after some “window dressing” and he won’t be surprised if it goes even lower.

“Reality check from IMF. Growth in 2019-20 will be below 5 per cent at 4.8 per cent,” Chidambaram said in a series of tweets. “Even the 4.8 per cent is after some window dressing. I will not be surprised if it goes even lower.”

IMF Chief Economist Gopinath was one of the first to denounce demonetisation, he noted.

“I suppose we must prepare ourselves for an attack by government ministers on the IMF and Dr Gita Gopinath,” Chidambaram said.

The IMF lowered India’s economic growth estimate for the current fiscal to 4.8 per cent and listed the country’s much lower-than-expected GDP numbers as the single biggest drag on its global growth forecast for two years.

In October, the IMF had pegged India economic growth at 6.1 per cent for 2019.

Listing the decline in rural demand growth and an overall credit sluggishness for lowering of India forecasts, Gopinath, however, had said the growth momentum should improve next year due to factors like positive impact of corporate tax rate reduction. PTI