New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Congress for criticising the economic development, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today (Feb 21, 2004) said that the growth rate would be soon touching 9 per cent.

Referring to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's speech in Lok Sabha that the Government was only "having Mungeri Lal kay sunehri sapna", (golden dreams of Mungeri Lal) about the growth rate, he said, "We not only dream but also fulfil them.

"Our growth rate has surprised the world but the Opposition appears to be confused on it and therefore this criticism," he said addressing a meeting at his residence organised by the Sangh Parivar affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.

He said even though the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government had been able to achieve a economic growth of about 8.9 per cent, "There is need to speed up the work to register an even higher growth rate."

He rebutted the Opposition charge that unemployment was on the rise and said, "Employment opportunities have increased even though there may not be increase in Government jobs."

On the delay in the implementation of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission on the merger of DA (Dearness Allowance) with basic salary, he said that this had to be done only after consulting the State Governments.

Vajpayee said that thousands of persons are employed on various projects like road construction and infrastructure works for after all "people have to be employed whether it is big or small jobs."

He said, "The nation was progressing and the figures show this. Even foreigners who come to this country express their appreciation on the nation's growth."

The Prime Minister said that the nation's economy was growing rapidly with exports rising and the foreign exchange showing an increase.

"There is overall satisfaction on the nation's growth. But, there are no dearth of critics who say the Government was wasting money and never seeing the rapid economic progress made by the country," he said.

Addressing the meeting, BJP MP (Member of Parliament) V K Malhotra recounted the various measures undertaken by the Government for the welfare of the workers and had introduced family pension scheme in the unorganised sector giving persons Rs 500 per month.