Highlights of the Economic Survey

Following are the highlights of the annual Economic Survey for the current fiscal tabled by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Thursday:

- Gross domestic product expected to grow 8.25 percent - 8.75 percent in 2009-10

- Economic growth during next fiscal may breach 9 percent

- Government should free grain stocks if food prices rise

- Delay in market release of imported sugar led to high prices

- Calibrate exit strategy from fiscal stimulus

- Centre, States need to begin fiscal consolidation, cap debt levels

- Poverty levels too high for growing nation like India

- Food subsidy should be given to households, instead of routing through public distribution system

- Poor families should be given food coupons to buy food at discount from any shop

- Reduce excise duty to boost exports

- Liberalise foreign investment norms in education, healthcare sectors

- Sustaining current levels of domestic petroleum prices not viable

- Expenditure restraint can help contain deficit at budgeted levels

- High inflation due to supply-side bottlenecks

- Growth in telecom to continue with monthly additions exceeding 17.6 million connections

- Share of central government expenditure on social services up by 19.46 per cent in current fiscal

- Foreign exchange reserves rises to $31.5 billion in current fiscal to $ 283.5 billion till end December 2009

- Balance of Payment situation improves due to surge in capital flows and rise in foreign exchange reserves, accompanied by rupee appreciation