Growth may not be in 6.75-7.5% range: Economic Survey

Read in English - Economic Survey says growth may not be in 6.75-7.5% range

• GDP Growth during 2015-16 was 7.9%. GDP Growth during 2016-17 was 7.1% ... against anticipated 8.5% due to demonetization. 
• GDP Growth during 2017-18 is projected to be 7.7%, but the Economic Survey has a pessimistic view on growth forecast with downward risk to the earlier estimated growth range of 6.75-7.5% GDP growth for 2017-18. Growth is expected to undershoot the earlier range.
• CPI inflation to be below 4% by March this fiscal, which only indicates anemic condition of economy.
• The challenges included are appreciation of the rupee, farm loan waivers, rising stress on balance sheets in power as well as telecom and transition issues arising from implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
• Fiscal slippages due to series of deflationary impulses that are weighing on an economy yet to gather its full momentum.
• Farm loan waivers by states would touch Rs. 2.7 lakh crore and could cut economy demand by up to 0.7% of GDP.
• Fiscal deficit will be 3.2% of GDP in 2017-18 as compared to 3.5% last fiscal.
• Since February 2017, the rupee has appreciated by about 1.5%.
• The bank NPA's rose from 9.2% in Sep 2016 to 9.5% in Mar 2017.
• Reliance Jio’s entry with free voice and data has led to a brutal price war in the telecom industry, hurting revenue and profitability of incumbents amid ballooning debt, increasing the sector’s share of non-performing assets, which is a cause for worry, the Economic Survey said. Ironically, Reliance Jio was funded by same banks to the tune of Rs.1.80 lakh crores which has exposure in telecom sector to the tune of Rs. 5 lakh crores and their diminished EBITDA has lost its ability to service massive debt. 
• A positive unintended consequence of demonetization is that about 5.4 lakh new tax payers* have joined the tax net post note ban, which probably could have been achieved even without note ban.
  *mostly between Rs.2.50 & Rs.3.00 lakhs taxable income with aggregate tax payment less than Rs.100 crores.

Read - Economic Survey is a wake-up call for Centre

Even as the unintended consequences of  arrogant, audacious & attrocious demonetization of Modi are surfacing at regular intervals and estimated to normalize in about two years time, the hurriedly implemented mangled GST, with in six months of note ban, has created avoidable numerous troubles to trading, manufacturing and informal sectors disturbing supply chain of commodities is unpardonable another adventure by Modi for political and personal glorification gains rather than in public and national interest. Almost all segments of economy are suffering and the most prominent being loss of millions of jobs and distressed agriculture. For increasing speed of travel, if your car driver presses brakes instead of accelerator, again and again, what will you do? Simply change the driver. Right. Driver Modi must be replaced, if our nation needs to progress.

Early Budget is aimed at misleading the Nation

In normal course budget presented on Feb 28 contains economic survey details for 3 of 4 quarters of current financial year. Modi & Jaitley presenting early budget on Feb 01, 2017 will contain economic data for first 2 quarters of 2016-17 where as  Modi's mindless demonetization happened in 3rd quarter and its devastating effects of destroying informal sector, shrinkage of GDP & growth rate and most importantly loss of livelihoods of several millions etc will not find place in 'economic survey' presented to Parliament a day before budget presentation. Thus Modi will be effectively avoiding discussion in parliament about the realities of senseless demonetization.

Eliminating separate Railway budget and merging with general budget is another evil attempt to enlarge governance (more governance means more corruption) and subordinating Railways (by and large autonomous so far) to Finance Minister and Railway officers to IAS officers of Finance Ministry. Needless to say IAS officers have key role for today's pathetic state of India, especially in matters of corruption, black money and abuse of authority.

Avoiding parliamentary discussion is nothing but decimating democracy.