'Most of the PSU shares are giving good returns now': PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

While replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday observed that Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) shares are giving good returns now. 

People's confidence improving in PSU shares, he said while speaking about his government's performance since 2014. 

Net worth of PSU companies is now more than Rs 17 lakh crore as against Rs 9.5 lakh crore in 2014, he said. 

In 2014, there were 234 PSUs and today after 10 years we have 254 PSUs, their profits have risen to Rs 2.5 lakh crore, he said.

"I was born in independent India and my dreams are independent. Congress said we sold PSUs and destroyed them. I want to ask them who destroyed BSNL and MTNL? Recall the state of Hindustan Aeronautics under Congress. They destroyed HAL and Air India. Congress party and UPA cannot run away from their failure. Today, the BSNL that you destroyed in it is moving towards Made in India 4G and 5G. HAL is showing record revenue generation and it has become Asia's largest helicopter manufacturing factory. We have turned around the story. Today LIC's shares are breaking records," said Modi.

Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress alleging that the opposition party has become outdated and has always been against any kind of reservation.

Modi said the Congress party has “outsourced” its work and expressed his sympathies over its downfall.

“The Congress’ thought has become outdated and it has outsourced its work. We are not happy at such a downfall of the party and we express our sympathies,” he said.

Citing a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru to chief ministers, Modi said it clearly states that the first prime minister was against reservation of any kind, especially in jobs, as it adversely affected the functioning of the government.

Modi said President Droupadi Murmu, in her address in Parliament, talked about solving the problems of the four largest sections of society — the poor, farmers, the youth and women.

“The Congress strangled democracy for power and dismissed democratically elected governments. The Congress has been against Dalits, backwards, tribals and had it not been for Babasaheb Ambedkar, they would not have got any reservation,” he said.

With inputs from PTI