The Indian economy may grow in the range of 7 to 7.75 percent, according to economic survey 2015-16. The real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in the first half of the fiscal grew by 7.2 percent. This was also the growth rate in 2014-15.  A summary of the survey issued by the press information bureau states that the country’s macro-economy is stable, “founded on the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and low inflation”.

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It talks about 4 ‘R’s – recognition, recapitalisation, resolution, and reform – required to comprehensively resolve the twin balance sheet challenge of public sector banks (PSBs) and some corporate houses.

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The settlement of the Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) imposed on foreign companies reflects the restoration of stability and predictability in tax decisions, the economic survey says. The survey highlights the opening of over 200 million bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), direct benefit transfer programme and the use of JAM trinity (Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile) for other government programmes and subsidies.

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The economic forecast by the finance ministry notes that the country’s ‘long run’ potential growth is around 8-10 percent. Realising this potential, the survey says, requires a push on at least three fronts. “First, India has moved away from being reflexivity anti-markets and uncritically pro-state to being pro-entrepreneurship and skeptical about the state. But being pro-industry must evolve into being genuinely pro-competition. Similarly, skepticism about the state must translate into making it leaner. It emphasises that the key to creating a more captive environment will be to address the exit problem which affects the Indian economy,” the survey says.

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Second, the survey calls for major investments in health and education of people to exploit India’s demographic dividend to optimal extent. Third, it says that India cannot afford to neglect its agriculture, the report says.

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