Jaipur: Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said today (Feb 24, 2004) that current macro-economic fundamentals had been the best in the last 50 years and the current financial year would end with GDP (Gross Domestic Product) meeting the Government's projected figures.

"It is no exaggeration but a reality. Our GDP has risen by 8.9 per cent in the third quarter, thanks to growth in industrial, agricultural and service sectors," Singh said.

The inflation had been contained within single figure and there was $106 billion foreign exchange reserve, Singh told reporters.

Asked to comment on leading magazine 'The Economist's description of "India Shining" campaign as a mere hope, he said journalists were free to make their assessment, but probably they failed to see "what we are achieving".

Regarding the Prime Minister's promise of creation of one crore jobs every year, he said there was 50 year old mindset which considered only employment in government sector as jobs.

"It will take some time to change this."

The Finance Minister also said that the biggest strength of the country was that with an average age of 30 years of its people India was the youngest country in the world.