Finance minister Arun Jaitley's year-end thanksgiving for supporting demonetisation. PM Modi's 50-day period for the economy to get back on its feet ends tomorrow. Highlights of the speech.


--Remonetisation has substantially advanced; not a single incident of unrest reported.

-- RBI has very large currency available; large part of currency replaced and more notes of Rs 500 being released.

-- More currency being re-circulated and ability of banks to lend has increased.

-- Till December 19, direct tax mop-up has risen 14.4 per cent, indirect tax grows 26.2 per cent; central excise up 43.3 per cent and Customs rose 6 per cent.

-- Life insurance business up, petroleum consumption increased and so are tourism and investments in mutual funds.

-- We are extremely grateful to the people of India who supported demonetisation move.

-- The net increase seen on direct taxes is 13.6 per cent.

-- The Rabi crop sowing is 6.3 per cent higher as compared to last year.

-- Large benefits of demonetisation are visible, what is in banks is identifiable impact on tax collection already visible.

-- Notwithstanding what critiques predicted, in all segments there has been significant increase in indirect taxes.

-- Critical part of remonetisation is now behind us, it will be much better, going forward.

-- Critics proved wrong. There could have been adverse impact of demonetisation on GDP for quarter or so, but it is not as bad as predicted.