Gandhinagar, Feb 19 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday recalled late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's contribution to give impetus to the economy and praised him for successfully leading the country from 2004 to 2014.

On the first day of the Budget session of the state legislative assembly, Patel paid tributes to Singh, who passed away at 92 last December.

As per the convention, tributes were paid to departed leaders on the first day of the session.

"Manmohan Singh, who studied economics in top educational institutions like Cambridge and Oxford, held key positions in past governments, such as finance secretary, Reserve Bank's governor and as the chairman of University Grants Commission," Patel said.

Singh also served as a member of Rajya Sabha for six terms from 1991 till 2024. He was the leader of the opposition in the upper house of Parliament from 1998 till 2004, said the CM.

"Economic reforms brought by Singh in 1991 as finance minister played an important role in giving pace to the Indian economy. As the 14th prime minister of India, Dr Singh successfully led the country from 2004 to 2014," Patel said.

He further said Singh was known across the globe as the "father of economic reforms" for his role in promoting the policy of comprehensive economic reforms in India.

Singh was conferred with many awards, including Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to the country, he added.

Patel said India lost an eminent economist and a noble leader, who led the country towards economic prosperity, in Singh.

Addressing the House, Congress Legislative Party leader Amit Chavda claimed numerous allegations of corruption were raised against Singh but none of them was proved.

"However, without harbouring any grudge, Singh never responded to such allegations. He replied through his remarkable work," he added.

Chavda said that instead of a politician, the people of India and the world remember Singh more as an able administrator.

"Singh created a foundation for economic reforms through liberalisation and globalisation," he said.

Chavda credited Singh for steering India out of the difficult situation when the world was battling a slowdown in 1990.

"India was also struggling because of dwindling foreign reserves and was on the brink of economic collapse. At that time, the only solution was to mortgage our gold reserve to avoid default.

"Thanks to the decisions taken by Dr Singh as finance minister, India not only came out of that difficult situation, our economy also found a new direction due to reforms brought by Dr Singh," said Chavda.

He said welfare laws and policies, including MNREGA, Food Security Act, Right To Information Act, and Right to Education Act, would be remembered as Singh's legacy. PTI PJT PD NSK

Economic reforms credited with stabilising and redirecting the national economy, alongside enduring social-welfare legislation legacy. Manmohan Singh is credited as a principal architect of India's economic liberalisation and for stabilising and redirecting the national economy through reforms begun as finance minister and continued as prime minister. Commentators also highlighted his association with major social-welfare legislation and rights-oriented statutes as key elements of his policy legacy, while noting that past allegations of corruption were described as unproven.