9% growth forecast difficult to achieve: Economists

Mumbai, Feb 27 (PTI) Even as the Government remainsbullish about economic growth next fiscal, leading economistsaren''t as confident as North Block mandarins about India''sability to even maintain the current growth rate given themany domestic and global headwind staring at the country.

The Economic Survey, tabled in Parliament by FinanceMinister Pranab Mukherjee on February 25, had forecast an over9 per cent growth next fiscal and pegged the current yeargrowth at 8.6 per cent.

Economists at the leading rating and research agenciesmaintained achieving the higher projected growth trajectorylooks unlikely given the medium-term macroeconomic trends.

Ashwin Parekh of Ernst