CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechuri on tuesday said that scams were hurting the nation's economy, and making implementation of welfare acts difficult.

"Had the government been able to check the Rs 1.7 lakh crore-worth 2G scam, it could have implemented the Right to Education Act and Food Security Act, enacted two years ago," he said at a public meeting here.

The Prime Minister had been a mere spectator to all the happenings in the country, Yechuri claimed.

He also said that malaises such as corruption and ineffective governance could be eradicated only through socialism.

Addressing the meeting organised by Students Federation of India on the eve of nineteenth anniversary of state SFI unit, Yechuri said Indian youth had emerged as world leaders in Information Technology.

Recalling his recent visit to Silicon Valley, Yechuri said he felt proud to see large number of IT professionals from Andhra Pradesh there.