Economic Survey 2024 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday presented the Economic Survey 2024 in the Parliament. FM tabled the annual survey in the Lok Sabha at noon, a day before the Union Budget 2024 presentation.
July 22 marks the first day of Parliament’s Budget session.
Economic Survey 2024 Release Time:
“The Economic Survey projects a real GDP growth of 6.5 to 7 percent for FY25. This is lower than the RBI’s estimate of 7.2 percent which was revised upwards from an earlier estimate of 7 percent. The Economic Survey forecast is in line with the Modi Government’s style of promising less and delivering more. Indian economy has registered a 8.2 percent CAGR during the three years post COVID. What is impressive is that this growth was registered despite economic shocks and global headwinds, Sandeep Vempati, economist with BJP, said.
All the economic indicators reflect the good health of the economy whether it is inflation, PMI and IIP numbers, declining NPAs, credit growth, household consumption growth, external sector, labour markets. Welfare measures in the past decade lead to 25 crore exiting multidimensional poverty. The Economic Survey notes that the decline in poverty Headcount Ratio was much faster between 2015-16 and 2019-21 than from 2005-06 to 2015-16, he added.
“The Modi Government has created more formal jobs – on an average 2 crore annually since EPFO began publishing numbers in the public domain than the prescribed number of jobs – 78.5 lakh annually until 2030 by the Economic Survey,” Vempati said.
The Union Budget size is expected to be 49 lakh crores based on the tax buoyancy, possible tax cuts and tax incentives and higher than budgeted surplus transfer from RBI. The budget is likely to adhere to maintaining the quality of expenditure, fiscal consolidation and macroeconomic stability. It is likely to focus on MSMEs, exports, manufacturing and on the creation of quality income earning opportunities especially in rural areas to attract more women into the labour force.
The Budget may also find measures to nudge the private sector and sub-national governments in respect of expanding manufacturing and creating income earning opportunities, he also said.
“The Economic Survey highlights the prevailing strengths of our economy and also showcases the outcomes of the various reforms our Government has brought. It also identifies areas for further growth and progress as we move towards building a Viksit Bharat,” PM Narendra Modi in a post on X.
Tax policies will have a major role to play in tackling income inequality in the coming years as the deployment of technology, like AI, can have a more deleterious impact on employment and income, the Economic Survey said on Monday.
It said globally, widening inequality is emerging as a crucial economic challenge confronting policymakers.
The 2022 State of Inequality in India report observed that in India, the top 1 per cent accounts for 6-7 per cent of the total incomes earned, while the top 10 per cent accounts for one-third of total incomes earned.
The Economic Survey cautioned against significant increase in retail participation in the stock market, saying expectation of higher returns without real market conditions is a matter of concern.
At the same time, it also mentioned that enhanced participation of retail investors lends stability to the capital market and noted the increasing interest of these investors in the derivative trading.
Over the last few years, the Indian capital markets have seen a surge in retail activity through direct trading in markets through their accounts and indirect trading through mutual fund channels.
According to Economic Survey 2023-24, retail investors’ share in the equity cash segment turnover was at 35.9 per cent in 2023-24 (FY24). The number of demat accounts with both depositories rose to 1,514 lakh in FY24 from 1,145 lakh in FY23.
Amidst strained ties with China, the Economic Survey made a strong case for seeking foreign direct investments (FDI) from Beijing to boost local manufacturing and tap the export market.
As the US and Europe are shifting their immediate sourcing away from China, it is more effective to have Chinese companies invest in India and then export the products to these markets rather than importing from the neighbouring country, the Survey said.
India’s path to sustainable development is fraught with challenges, as the country grapples with the twin imperatives of meeting burgeoning energy demands and reducing carbon emissions, the Economic Survey 2023-24 revealed.
The Survey underscores the complexities of India’s green transition, emphasizing the need for a diversified energy portfolio to achieve ambitious growth targets while adhering to climate commitments.
“Balancing development needs with a low-carbon pathway is a tightrope, especially when financed predominantly through domestic resources,” the Survey noted, highlighting the financial strain of pursuing cleaner energy alternatives.
The agriculture insurance sector is likely to register growth from 2024 onwards, with an average real premium growth of 2.5 per cent over the medium term, according to the Economic Survey 2023-24.
The survey noted that agriculture insurance, accounting for about 12 per cent of the non-life insurance market, witnessed flat growth in FY23 due to a sharp decline in premium rates in the Kharif cropping season.
The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) expressed optimism about economic growth while acknowledging the existing challenges. He believes that a 7% growth rate is achievable in the financial year 2024-25, but the official forecast is set between 6.5% and 7% to account for uncertainties.
Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) emphasized the need to balance the import of goods and capital. He noted that India’s reliance on Chinese manufacturing inputs has increased over time, leading to a significant rise in the trade deficit with China. Two factors could further deepen this deficit: trade diversion by the West away from China, which would position India’s industries as intermediate suppliers between China and the West, similar to the roles of Mexico and Vietnam; and the push to enhance manufacturing capacity within India, which would increase reliance on Chinese manufacturing inputs.
Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) stated that the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes are delivering significant results as of May 2024. These schemes are gaining momentum and showing substantial progress in key sectors such as electronics and pharmaceuticals, with reported investments exceeding Rs 1.28 lakh crore.
According to the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), private capital expenditure (capex) has rebounded following a period of stagnation.
India’s Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran in the Economic Survey document said that India can either integrate into China’s supply chain or promote foreign direct investment (FDI) from the neighbour to boost global exports, Reuters reported
“Among these choices, focusing on FDI from China seems more promising for boosting India’s exports to the U.S., similar to how East Asian economies did in the past.”
The report said choosing the FDI strategy “appears more advantageous than relying on trade” as it can arrest the growing trade deficit New Delhi has with Beijing, the top exporter for India.
The Indian economy has the potential to achieve a growth rate of over 7 percent consistently in the medium term by leveraging the structural reforms implemented over the past decade. To realize this, a collaborative effort between the Union Government, state governments, and the private sector is essential, as highlighted in the Economic Survey presented in Parliament on Monday.
The Economic Survey pointed out that India suffered two big economic shocks in quick succession;
So, it is difficult to conclude that the Indian economy’s ability to create employment is structurally impaired, the survey added. Going forward, the task is cut out.