India’s growth can be inclusive and sustainable: World Bank

By NewsGram Staff Writer

World Bank sees a great promise in NDA government's three pronged development agenda. It feels that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government's strategy of promoting fast and durable economic growth; involving states as active development partners; and improving the delivery of social benefits and extending social safety to the elderly and the underprivileged, will accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth but reforms have to be stepped up.

World Bank report, India Development Update, April 2015, said that the Indian government has already started implementing reforms to improve the business environment; liberalize FDI; boost both public and private investment in infrastructure; quickly resolve corporate disputes; simplify taxation, and lower corporate taxes. The states are going to receive more resources and power while the implementation of GST will improve tax to GDP ratio.

The report said that the reforms of the government, coupled with favorable external environment like reduced oil prices, have led to growth acceleration, inflation decline and narrowing of current account deficit. However, it also cautioned about the negative impact that oil price rise or tightening of US monetary policy can have on the country.

The bank also said that new investments to the country are still dented due to the debt overhang in the corporate balance sheets, which has extended to the Public Sector Banks (PSB). Promotion of private investment to bridge the infrastructural deficit was also required.

The report offered some solutions too, like the need to increase manufacturing competitiveness significantly to carve a space among the world's large exporters. It also talked of the need for infrastructural boost to bring India at par with the world's manufacturing hubs, in addition to the competitive supply of labor, land, finance, and skills, as well as a friendly business environment.

The World Bank report also emphasized on the role of MGNREGS in the process of development in India.