Sustained economic growth guarantees Social Sector development in a tangible manner. Adverse macro economic imbalance and high inflation on the other hand affect the poor and vulnerable segments of the population adversely. For social sector development, it is, therefore, important that the high growth rate of the economy is sustained over a longer period'. This was the observation on the Indian Social Sector by the Economic Survey 2004-05, tabled in the Parliament today.
The NCMP of the Government has emphasized social sector development especially health, education, employment generation and poverty alleviation programmes. Expenditure on these programmes has also increased substantially during the year. Higher levels of expenditure on the social sectors could be sustained through reprioritisation of expenditure both by the States and the Centre. Similarly, rationalisation of subsidies would release resources, which could be targeted to the poor through specific social sector programmes.
The total Central Government expenditure on social services including rural development increased from Rs. 18,240 crore in 1995-96 to Rs. 52,090 crore in 2204-05 (BE). Trend of expenditure on social services and total expenditure by the general government (Centre and States combined) between 1986-87 and 2004-05 (BE) indicate that despite fluctuations, total expenditure of the general government as a proportion of total expenditure increased marginally from 8.9 per cent to 19.3 per cent with peak of 22.3 per cent in 1999-2000. It also indicates that the share of education in social service expenditures increased from 45.6 per cent to 48.8 per cent, while share of health declined from 24.1 to 23 per cent over the same period.
The Survey asserts that availability of resources alone cannot guarantee social sector development. The efficacy of a large number of government programmes on the ground would have to be vastly improved through various measures. An efficient management and improved delivery of these programmes are essential to implement most social sector programmes through the decentralised system of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) with full participation of the people. This would also ensure transparency in implementation, which would effectively check leakages in these programmes.
HB/MC/SK
(Release ID :7325)