its rulePune, Oct 29 (PTI) Union minister Prakash Javadekar todayreaffirmed the government's resolve to continue taking stepsto weed out black money from the economy and accused theCongress of not having initiated measures to tackle the menacewhen in power.
Addressing a press conference here, Javadekar saidthat November 8, the first anniversary of demonetisation, willbe observed the 'anti-black money day' across the country. TheCongress-led opposition has decided to observe November 8 as'black day'.
"I am surprised that when the BJP is observingNovember 8 as anti-black money day, the Congress has decidedto agitate in support of black money," he said.
"The common countrymen stood in support ofdemonetisation. Those who are dishonest, were inconvenienceddue to the exercise and Congress has been talking for suchpeople," the human resource development minister alleged.
The Congress, in its 50-year rule, never took any boldstep against black money, but the BJP in three years waged anall-out war against it, and demonetisation was one of themeasures for it, he said.
The government, he said, has resolved to end the blackmoney economy, and in future also, crucial decisions will betaken to weed out the menace.
On November 8, discussions, rallies and lectures ondemonetisation, an awareness campaign for digital payment anddownloading of BHIM application on a mass scale will be heldacross the country, he said.
Javadekar said despite the Supreme Court's order forforming a special investigation team (SIT) against blackmoney, the Congress did not do anything.
"It was the BJP which, immediately after coming topower, formed the SIT and resolved to take on the menace ofblack money," he said.
Responding to those questioning the success of thedemonetisation exercise, Javadekar said, "Rs 16,000 crore didnot come back (to the banking system) during the exercise. Twolakh shell companies were exposed and their accounts frozen.""We are in the process of scrutinising these accountsand sealing such firms," he said.
The Central government under Prime Minister NarendraModi made amendments to the Benami Property Act, which wasnever notified during the Congress regime, the BJP leadersaid.
After the necessary improvements and amendments, underthis Act 381 benami properties worth Rs 1,300 crore wereconfiscated," he said, adding around 4.7 lakh dubioustransactions worth Rs 3 lakh crore were identified.
Due to demonetisation, digital transactions got a boostand there was a remarkable rise in the number of tax payers,the minister said. PTI SPK GKSK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.