The main objective (of finance ministry) is that the voice of the common man is not lost in the power corridors”

Edited excerpts from an interview:

Q: The biggest takeaway from recent cabinet reshuffle?

A: It’s a reshuffle in the union government after two years of Modi government. While excellent work has been going on for the past two years, PM Narendra Modi as well as the government believes in serving the interests of the common man. There is also an effort to ensure that the common man considers finance ministry as their own ministry.

Q: So, are you saying that finance ministry is taking up the cause of the common man?

A: In 1971, banks were nationalised by Indira Gandhi. And it was said that the doors of the banks were open for everyone.

However, it was only when PM Modi took initiatives in this regard that in the last year and a half, 22 crore or more people opened bank accounts. The PM had said that zero-balance accounts would also be allowed under the drive. More than Rs 3,000 crore of money was deposited in the banks. Less than one-fourth of the total accounts were zero-balance accounts.

Thus, for the first time, finance ministry got to be associated with the common man. Until now it was said that the ministry was for elites or income tax payees.