Context
The Union Finance Minister tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23, after the President’s address.
Key highlights of the Economic Survey 2023:
Key parameters | Projections/ Performance | Drivers/ Takeaways |
GDP growth | India is to witness GDP growth of 6.0 – 6.8% in 2023-24, depending on the trajectory of economic and political developments globally | ● The rebound of private consumption ● Higher Capital Expenditure (Capex) ● Near-universal vaccination Return of migrant workers to cities ● strengthening the balance sheets of the Corporates, ● Well-capitalized public sector banks ready to increase the credit supply to the MSME sector |
Inflation | ● The RBI has projected headline inflation at 6.8% in FY23, outside its comfort zone of 2% to 6%. ● However, the Survey sounded optimistic about the inflation levels. | Not high enough to deter private consumption and not low to weaken the inducement to invest |
Employment-Unemployment | The PLFS showed that the urban unemployment rate for people aged 15 years and above declined from 9.8% in the quarter ending September 2021 to 7.2% one year later. | ● Despite layoffs, the number of direct jobs created by Indian startups rose 36% in 2022. ● Improvement in the labor force participation rate ● The initial surge in exports ● A strong release of the “pent-up” demand ● A swift rollout of the capex. |
Health | ● India’s budgeted expenditure on the health sector reached 2.1% of the GDP in the financial year 2023 (Budget estimates) and 2.2% in FY 2022 (revised estimates). ● The National Health Policy 2017 as well as the 15th Finance Commission recommended 2.5% by 2025. | ● Increase in the share of government health expenditure (in comparison to the total health expenditure) ● This is due to expenditure incurred on the national Covid-19 vaccination program, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, Intensified Mission Indradhanush (MI) program ● The decline in out-of-pocket expenditure ● Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-JAY) falling short of the target: Less than 50% of the originally targeted 50 crore beneficiaries under the scheme. |
Education | As a share of total GDP, the budgetary allocation for education saw only a minimal gain of 0.1 percentage points, from 2.8% to 2.9% during the same seven-year period. | ● Decline in the govt share of expenditure, while the expenditure on social services increased. ● COVID worsens dropout rates at primary and upper primary school levels ● Higher education enrolment increased |
Agriculture | ● The Indian agriculture sector has been growing at an average annual growth rate of 4.6% during the last six years. ● In recent years, India has also rapidly emerged as the net exporter of agricultural products (an all-time high of $50.2 billion during 2021-22) | ● Strong agri growth led to a YoY dip in monthly demand for MGNREGS. ● Interventions like the PM Kisan, PMFBY, and the push given to Kisan Credit Cards have been significant. ● The sector needs “re-orientation” given challenges like adverse impacts of climate change, fragmented landholdings, and rising input costs. |
Services: Source of strength
| ● India has been placed among the top 10 service-exporting countries in the year 2021. ● The commercial services export has increased from 3% in 2015 to 4% in 2021. | ● Contact-intensive services like hotel, tourism, retail trade, entertainment, and recreation, have registered a sequential growth of 16% at pre-pandemic levels. ● Non-contact intensive services like ICT, financial, professional, and business services have contributed significantly to the economy. |
Industry: Steady recovery | The industry not only accounts for 31% of the GDP but also has a significant contribution in generating employment for up to 12.1 crore people in the financial year 2023, directly or indirectly. | ● Path-breaking measures such as PM GatiShakti, the National Logistics Policy, and the Production-Linked Incentive schemes to boost manufacturing output. |
Infrastructure | Digital infra: In 2022, over a billion people have unique digital ID documents, more than 80% have bank accounts, and over 600 cr digital payment transactions have been completed on a monthly basis. | ● Digital infrastructure has given robust growth during the pandemic era. ● Digital infra can add 60-100 bps to GDP growth. ● Government’s vision for physical infrastructure development – Public Private Partnerships, National Infrastructure Pipeline, National Monetisation Pipeline, etc. |
Climate Change and Environment: Preparing to Face the Future
| ● India declared the Net Zero Pledge to achieve a net zero emissions goal by 2070. ● India achieved its target of 40% installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuels ahead of 2030. | ● National Green Hydrogen Mission to enable India to be energy independent by 2047. ● The Survey highlights the progress on eight missions under the NAPCC to address climate concerns and promote sustainable development. ● E- vehicle sales to touch 1Cr units by 2030. |
Shipbuilding | · As of date, more than 130 warships have been constructed at Indian shipyards, and currently, 41 of 43 ships and submarines are being constructed at various public and private sector shipyards in India
| · Shipbuilding has one of the highest employment multipliers and is capable of generating mass employment in remote, coastal, and rural areas
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Startups | · Despite layoffs, the number of direct jobs created by Startups rose 36 percent to around 2.7 lakh last year · The number of start-ups recognized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has increased from 452 in 2016 to 84,012 in 2022 | · Start-ups are being envisioned as the spine of the ‘new India’ as they encouraged youth to become job creators rather than job seekers |
Electronics | · India is on the “right trajectory” to reach $300 billion worth of electronics manufacturing and $120 billion in exports by FY26 due to an improvement in manufacturing and export over the last five years. | · India has become the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer globally · Domestic companies, such as Tata, have indicated an interest in establishing semiconductor fabrication plants in the country |
Conclusion
Despite challenges, the Indian economy has almost “recouped” what it lost in 2022–2023 and has “renewed” and “re-energized” what had slowed down due to the pandemic.
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