The Economic Survey 2015-16 presented on friday in the Parliament by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley emphasizes that Indian economy will continue to grow more than 7 % for the third year in succession in 2016-17 helped by a normal monsoon, despite global meltdown.
The Economic Survey (2015-16) states that due to Government’s commitment to carry the reform process forward, conditions do exist for raising the economy’s growth momentum to 8 percent or more in the next couple of years. The survey underlines that despite global headwinds and a truant monsoon, India registered 7.2 % growth in 2014-15 and 7.6 % in 2015-16, thus becoming the fastest growing major economy in the world.
The Survey points out that the growth in agriculture sector in 2015-16 has continued to be lower than the average of last decade, mainly on account of it being the second successive year of lower-than-normal monsoon rains. As per the information of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare for 2015-16, the production of foodgrains and oil-seeds is estimated to decline by 0.5 % and 4.1 % respectively, while the production of fruits and vegetables is likely to increase marginally.
A brighter picture is expected to emerge from the allied sectors consisting of livestock products, forestry and fisheries with a growth exceeding 5 per cent in 2015-16, which will provide some impetus to rural incomes.
Growth in industry is estimated to have accelerated during the current year on the strength of improving manufacturing activity. The private corporate sector, with an around 69 % share of the manufacturing sector, is estimated to grow by 9.9 % at current prices in April-December 2015-16. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) showed that manufacturing production grew by 3.1 % during April-December 2015-16, vis-à-vis a growth of 1.8 % in the corresponding period of the previous year.
The ongoing manufacturing recovery is is aided by robust growth in petroleum refining, automobiles, wearing apparels, chemicals, electrical machinery and wood products including furniture. Apart from manufacturing, the other three segments of the industry sector- electricity, gas, water supply and related utilities, mining and quarrying and construction activities are witnessing a deceleration in growth.
The Survey underlines that the growth in the services sector moderated slightly, but still remains robust. Being the main driver of the economy, the sector contributed about 69 per cent of the total growth during 2011-12 to 2015-16 and in the process expanding its share in the economy by 4 percentage points from 49 to 53 %.
The Survey in its outlook clearly points out that though the emerging market economies have clearly slowed down, the Indian economy stands out as a haven of macroeconomic stability, resilience and optimism and can be expected to register GDP growth that could be in the range of 7.0 % to 7.75 % in the coming year.
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