Sitharaman tables Economic Survey 2025-26 in Lok Sabha
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday tabled the Economic Survey 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha, an annual report card of the country's economic performance in the financial year. The survey is tabled ahead of the Union Budget and presents a backdrop for the policy actions to be taken in the next financial year. The Economic Survey on Thursday made a strong case for re-examining the nearly two-decade-old RTI law to exempt confidential reports and draft comments from disclosures, saying such provisions constrain governance. It also said that the RTI (Right to Information) Act 2005 was never intended as a tool for idle curiosity, nor as a mechanism to micro-manage the government from the outside. Its purpose is far higher, and the law itself makes that clear, it said. The law seeks to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, to contain corruption, and to enhance people's participation in the democratic process.
India's economy projected to grow at 6.8 to 7.2 pc in FY27: Economic Survey
The Economic Survey on Thursday projected the GDP growth in the range of 6.8 to 7.2 per cent in 2026-27, a tad lower than 7.4 per cent estimated in the current fiscal. "The outlook, therefore, is one of steady growth amid global uncertainty, requiring caution, but not pessimism," said the pre-Budget document tabled in the Lok Sabha. The growth projection has taken into consideration the cumulative impact of policy reforms over recent years that appear to have lifted the economy's medium-term growth potential closer to 7 per cent.
Need to retain students beyond Class 8: Economic Survey; supports open schooling
There is a need to retain school students beyond Class 8 as the secondary age-specific net enrolment remains low, the Economic Survey 2025-26 said. According to the survey tabled in Parliament on Thursday by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while India has improved enrolment at early levels, the secondary age-specific net enrolment rate (NER) remains low at 52.2 per cent. It said the scenario highlights the need to retain students beyond Class 8. "A key issue is the uneven distribution of schools as 54 per cent of schools offer only foundational-preparatory education, while just 17.1 per cent provide secondary education in rural areas," it noted.
Economic Survey flags concerns over fiscal populism in states
Concerns over fiscal populism, the crowding out of capital expenditure by cash transfers and the rise of revenue deficits in states have increased in recent times, the Economic Survey said on Thursday as it stressed that any fiscal indiscipline at the state level casts a shadow on the sovereign borrowing costs. "While the Centre has achieved consolidation alongside record public investment, rising revenue deficits and unconditional cash transfers in several States pose emerging risks by crowding out growth-enhancing spending," the pre-Budget document tabled in Parliament said. Among other elements, it mentioned that Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) have expanded rapidly across several states and now form a growing share of state-level welfare spending.
