(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Data a reminder for new government a lot of work needs to be done
india reported on friday a second straight year of sub-five per cent growth underscoring challenges facing new right-wing prime minister narendra modi to revive asia’s third-largest economy.
the economy grew by 4.7 per cent in the financial year to march 2014 below the 4.9 estimate of the previous left-leaning congress ousted in elections earlier this month by voters angered by economic slowdown soaring consumer inflation and widespread corruption.
the data would be “a reminder” for the bharatiya janata party (bjp) government “that a lot of work needs to be done in the economy before growth can pick up again” nomura asia interest strategist vivek rajpal said ahead of the figures. economic growth has crumbled from nearly double-digit rates just three years ago — a level analysts say india must reach again to generate jobs for its vast young population.
the economy expanded 4.6 per cent in the final fourth quarter to march 31 from the same period a year earlier slightly undershooting analysts’ forecasts.
persistent tightening of both monetary and fiscal policy to curb inflation has fuelled downward pressure on growth.
“investor sentiment has changed but government needs to follow it up with action to address structural bottlenecks” says m.s. unnikrishnan managing director at capital goods maker thermax who expects a gradual recovery.
the economy expanded by a decade low of 4.5 per cent in the previous year. manufacturing shrank 1.4 per cent during the final quarter of 2013-14 from a year earlier. but farm output climbed 6.3 per cent in the quarter between january and march.
modi sworn in monday as india’s premier and known for his fast decision-making during more than a dozen years as chief minister of prosperous western gujarat state has spelt out 10 priority areas to revitalise the economy.
these include swift implementation of a national goods and services tax to speed up business transactions lifting a ban on mining in dense forest areas and moves to raise the foreign investment cap to revitalise india’s ageing military equipment.
modi trumpeted “the start of a new era” after the bjp won the first majority in three decades.
business leaders want him to dismantle the array of bureaucratic controls that have stalled multibillion-dollar investment projects overhaul creaking infrastructure that impedes productivity simplify tax levies and ease cumbersome land acquisition rules.
india’s new finance minister arun jaitley said earlier in the week he realised that he was taking over at a “challenging time”.
aside from modi jaitley will be the most important figure in breathing life into the new prime minister’s promise of “better days ahead” and his “modinomics” mantra of “minimum government maximum governance”.
arvind panagariya an economics professor at new york’s columbia university who is tipped to get an advisory role in the government has called on the new administration to revamp the cumbersome tax regime and boost capital spending.
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