THE ECONOMY : AN OVERVIEW
The Gross Domestic Product increased by 7.5 per cent, 9.4 per cent and 9.6 percent in
first three years, of the UPA Government resulting in an unprecedented average growth
rate of 8.8 per cent. The drivers of growth continue to be 'services' and 'manufacturing'
which are estimated to grow at 10.7 per cent and 9.4 per cent respectively.
Growth rate in agriculture for 2007-08 is estimated at 2.6 per cent.
Food grain production in 2007-08, estimated at 219.32 million tonnes-an all time record.
Rice production at 94.08 million tonnes, maize at 16.78 million tonnes, soya bean at 9.45
million tonnes, cotton at 23.38 million bales each, an all time
record.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana launched with an outlay of Rs. 25,000 crore, National
Food Security Mission with an outlay of Rs. 4,882 crore under National Policy for
Farmers in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
THE GROWTH STORY : FASTER AND MORE INCLUSIVE
Agricultural credit poised to reach Rs. 2,40,000 crore by March, 2008.
11.4 crore children covered under Mid Day Meal Scheme, the largest school lunch
programme in the world.
Under National Rural Health Mission 8,756 primary health centres have been made
24x7.
1,82,000 girls enrolled in residential schools under Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
Scheme.
BHARAT NIRMAN
Bharat Nirman has made impressive progress in 2007-08 with 290 habitations provided
with drinking water each day, 17 habitations connected through all weather road, 52
villages provided telephones, 42 villages electrified & 4,113 rural houses completed each
day.
ELEVENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN: THE CRUCIAL SECOND YEAR
GBS 2008-09 at Rs.2,43,386 crore higher by Rs. 38,286 crore over 2007-08. Central
Plan allocation at Rs.1,79,954 crore, an increase of 16 percent over 2007-08; Bharat
Nirman to get Rs. 31,280 crore.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan provided Rs.13,100 crore with
the focus to shift from access and infrastructure at the primary level to enhancing
retention and improving quality of learning. Mid-day Meal to get Rs. 8,000 crore;
secondary education to get Rs. 4,554 crore.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya : Rs. 130 crore provided in 2008-09, to establish
Navodaya Vidyalaya in 20 districts having large concentration of Scheduled Castes &
Scheduled Tribes.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya: Funds (as part of SSA) provided for additional 410
Vidyalayas in educationally backward areas. Rs. 80 crore allocated to set up new or
upgrade existing hostels attached to Balika Vidyalaya.
National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship: Rs. 750 crore allocated to build up a corpus
of Rs.3,000 crore in four years. 1,00,000 Scholarship to be awarded beginning 2008-09.
Nehru Yuva Kendra: Rs. 10 crore allocated in 2008-09 to set up a Kendra in 123
districts, and to cover recurring expenditure in the first year.
Mid Day Meal Scheme: Extended to upper primary classes in Government and
Government aided schools in all blocks which will benefit 2.5 crore children taking the
total number of children covered under the scheme to 13.9 crore.
Institutes of Higher Education: India to become a knowledge society, three IISERs at
Mohali, Pune and Kolkata; and an IIIT at Kanchipuram have started
functioning.Government to set up 16 Central Universities in each of the hitherto
uncovered states; three IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan; two IISERs at
Bhopal and Tiruvananthapuram; and two Schools of Planning and Architecture at Bhopal
and Vijayawada: Rs. 5 crore grant provided to Deccan College, Postgraduate and
Research Institute, Pune.
Science and Technology: Rs.85 crore allocated for Innovation in Science Pursuit for
Inspired Research (INSPIRE); which will include scholarships for young learners (10-17
years), scholarships for continuing science education (17-22 years) and opportunities for
research careers (22-32 years); Rs. 100 crore provided for establishing the National
Knowledge Network.
Health Sector: Rs.16,534 crore allocated, for the sector marking an increase of 15%
over 2007-08.
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM): 462,000 Associated Social Health Activitists
have been trained, 177,924 villages have sanitation committees functional and 323
district Hospitals have been taken up for upgradation. Allocation to NRHM has been
increased to Rs. 12,050 crore.
HIV/AIDS: The National Aids Control Programme provided Rs.993 crore.
Polio: Drive to eradicate polio continues with revised strategy and focus on the high risk
districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Rs. 1,042 crore allocated in 2008-09.
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana : Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to provide health
cover of Rs.30,000 for every worker in the unorganised sector falling under the BPL
category and his/her family. The Yojana will be launched in Delhi and in the States of
Haryana and Rajasthan on April 1, 2008. Rs.205 crore provided as the Centre's share of
the premia in 2008-09.
National Programme for the Elderly: National Programme for the Elderly to be started
in 2008-09 with a Plan outlay of Rs.400 crore. Two National Institutes of Ageing, eight
regional centres, and a department for geriatric medical care in one medical
college/tertiary level hospital in each State to be established during the Eleventh Plan
period.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Allocation for ICDS enhanced from
Rs.5,293 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.6,300 crore in 2008-09; Remuneration of Anganwadi
workers being increased from Rs.1,000 per month to Rs.1,500 per month; remuneration
of Anganwadi Helpers increased from Rs.500 per month to Rs.750 per month; over 18
lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers to benefit; 5,959 ICDS projects and 932,000
Anganwadi and mini-Anganwadi centres functional under ICDS at the end of December
2007.
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