"We do have a lot of respect for you, but sometimes we wonder if it wouldn't be more apt to address you as 'Nirbala' Sitharaman instead of Nirmala Sitharaman," said Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha.
Private sector has not announced any major investment after recent corporate tax cut and therefore abolishing DDT at this point of time may prove to be counter effective.
The slowdown in Q2 FY20 was largely due to a sharp dip in the manufacturing sector and agriculture output, said the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in a statement.
Industrial output in September contracted by 4.3 per cent from a year earlier due to poor performance in the manufacturing sector, data released by the government on Monday showed.
Sonia said that decision to sign Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) will be a "body blow" to economy of the country and will bring "untold hardship" for farmers, SMEs.
Prime Minister Modi said that Tier-II and Tier-III cities in India have emerged as engines of growth and the global companies investing in India are assured of skilled manpower.
It said that to rejuvenate growth, policymakers must undo the trade barriers put in place with durable agreements, rein in geopolitical tensions and reduce domestic policy uncertainty.
To stabilise flow of funds into the capital market, the enhanced surcharge introduced by the Union Budget will not apply on capital gains arising on sale of equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust liable for securities transaction tax.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is addressing a press conference over the state of economy and also about the measures being undertaken for giving an impetus to the economy.
The economic growth slowed to a seven-year low to 5 per cent in April to June quarter from 8 per cent a year ago, as per the government data.
