Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that measures would be taken to put back the country on high growth rate. He said, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, after taking over the charge of Finance Ministry, has identified certain issues like fiscal deficit and current account deficit etc. in this regard.

Mr. Chidambaram said this at a media conference in Chandigarh on Friday. He said that Prime Minister earlier as a Finance Minister, had put India on the path of liberalisation and growth and it was his vision that India recorded unprecedented growth during UPA-1 rule. Mr Chidambaram said that in 2011-12, India`s growth rate was 7 per cent which was one of the highest in the world.

Refering to development made during UPA rule, Home Minister said that more than 700 kilometers of railway lines have been added to the system, 856 kilometers of track converted into broad guage, Financial package of 4000 crore rupees given for loan waivers of handloom weavers and the cooperative societies announced in 2011-12.

He said, nearly 5 lakh new classrooms have been constructed and 51,000 new primary and upper primary schools opened and 6.8 lakh teachers have been appointed, and low cost acess cum computing device AKAASH was launched in the country. He said that Right of Children to free and compulsary education Amendment Bill was approved by the Cabinet and passed by the Parliament.

The Home Minister said that despite decline in growth rate in the third year of UPA-2 rule, funding for 15 major Flagship programmes, which are key to inclusive growth, are being continued.