Here's Jaitley's prescription for better growth

Jaitley also said that the newly formed NITI Aayog, in place of the erstwhile Planning Commission, will financially empower states.

Asking West Bengal to broaden its manufacturing base to create more jobs, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Centre will support states in each rupee of their investments and there is a need to stand together for 'national causes' despite political differences.

Speaking at the West Bengal Global Business Summit, organised by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in Kolkata, the Union finance minister also said that India will grow if all states grow collectively.

West Bengal will benefit from reform measures such as coal block auctions and GST implementation, initiated by the central government, he added.

In an apparent reference to political differences between Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress, Jaitley said there are national causes to stand together, notwithstanding political differences.

"I am here to assure you that central government strongly stands behind the state governments in order to support each one of the rupees and dollars that you invest in the state," the Finance Minister said.

He added that there is a need to give a spurt to investment, massive boost to infrastructure and concentrate on manufacturing.

Jaitley also said that the newly formed NITI Aayog, in place of the erstwhile Planning Commission, will financially empower states.

Besides, no state stands to lose a single rupee of revenue on GST implementation, he said, adding that West Bengal needs to broad-base its manufacturing base to create jobs.

Image: A labourer carries a sack filled with cabbage to load it onto a supply van at a vegetable wholesale market in Chennai. Photograph: Babu/Reuters