Despite focus on sustained improvement in the quality of the life of the people in general and poor in particular, India's progress on the social sector front continues to be slow, says the Economic Survey 2006-07.

Finance Minsiter P Chidambaram presented the Economic Survey in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Survey feels that the paramount need is for making rapid strides in living standards, health, education, general justice, welfare and the development of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes.

The Survey pointed out that the Central Government expenditure on social services including rural development has gone up consistently over the years, increasing
from   Rs  18,240 crore in 1995-96 to Rs  87,607 crore in 2006-07 (BE).

The Survey feels that the sustained and high levels of economic growth in recent years provide a unique opportunity and momentum for faster social sector development. The buoyant economy should not only generate adequate employment but also provide adequate and need based resources for large interventions in the critical areas of social sector. The recent resurgence of manufacturing also bodes well for employment generation .

However, the Survey points out that availability of resources alone will not guarantee faster social sector development. Efficacy of the programmes will depend a lot on the manner in which States implement various social sector programmes, these primarily being the domain of the states.

Time bound achievements of the physical targets will depend a lot on the capacity mobilization of the States at various levels. Accountability and transparency, especially through the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), need to be emphasized to ensure good governance and delivery of quality services through public action for most social sector programmes.

Capacity building of PRIs themselves is a critical factor to achieve these objectives. States must ensure availability of adequate and skilled manpower for PRIs which is crucial for effective implementation of various social sector schemes. Monitoring the progress through the outcome budget along with the Right to Information Act is also necessary.

• Economic Survey 2006-07: Complete Coverage