Economy got a new boost in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure
He ushered in National telecom policy that helped overcome challenges.
New Delhi: Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation of a resurgent Indian economy and was a bellwether policy reformer of modern India. He built India’s most famous highway project, started privatisation to cut the government’s role in running businesses and made big-ticket overseas acquisitions to secure energy supplies.
When Mr Vajpayee left the government in 2004, the GDP was growing around 8 per cent, inflation was below 4 per cent and foreign reserves were overflowing.
“A great economic reformer, as a PM he was always guided by a strong conviction that liberalisation would help us realise our economic potential and ultimately open the doors to becoming a globally competitive, strong and resilient economy,” said industrialist Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman, Bharti Group.
He said that Mr Vajpayee can truly be called the Father of Modern Telecommunication in India having ushered in the National Telecom Policy in 1999, which helped the industry overcome some of its toughest early challenges. Mr Mittal said former PM took great interest in the development of younger entrepreneurs in the face of the stiff competition from established businesses.