Eco Survey:Growth leading to social progress,transparency needed

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Asserting that the sustained high levels of economic growth provides a unique opportunity and momentum for faster social sector development and creates employment, the Government today called for greater accountability and transparency through the PRIs to ensure good governance.

In the Economic Survey 2006-07 laid in the Lok Sabha amid protests by the opposition on the Quattrocchi issue, the Government emphasised monitoring the progress and effective implementation of the various social sector schemes through the outcome budget along with the Right to Information Act and decentralisation through the Panchayati Raj Institutes which are expected to strengthen the process of inclusive growth.

According to the Survey, the recent resurgence of manufacturing sector also bodes well for employment generation. It said 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.

However, admitting that the availability of resources alone will not generate faster social sector development, it said the efficacy of the programmes will depend a lot on the manner in which states implement them. Time bound achievement of the physical targets will depend a lot on the capacity mobilisation of the states at various levels.

''Accountability and transparency, especially through PRIs, need to be emphasised 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 success factor to achieve these objectives,'' it said.

It called states to ensure availability of adequate and skilled manpower for PRIs which are crucial for effective implementation of the social sector programmes like the NREGS.

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