Confident of maintaining 3.9% fiscal deficit target this year: Arun Jaitley

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said that the government is confident of maintaining 3.9 percent fiscal deficit target this year and is keen to better 7.3 percent growth of last fiscal.

He also said that several tax disputes have already been resolved.

“Politics of obstruction in Rajya Sabha will not succeed in holding up GST,” Jaitley said.

Earlier during the day, he pitched for public sector banks being given independence from political decision-making, Jaitley said efforts are on to professionalise all personnel-related issues at these banks.

Speaking at a banking industry event, Jaitley also said that the brick and mortar branches may probably lose relevance with alternative channels like online coming up.

Speaking on various issues, Jaitley said the number of stalled projects has considerably declined and he was sure the the measure on anti-dumping duty on steel will provide some relief to both the domestic industry and banks battling NPAs.