Education, health consistent priority for govt: Survey

The government has consistently prioritised strengthening the educational and health profile of the people despite limited resources in hand, the Economic Survey said today.
"Being a developing economy, there is not enough fiscal space to increase the expenditure on critical social infrastructure like education and health in India. However, given the limited resources, the Government has consistently prioritised strengthening the educational and health profile of the population," said the Survey tabled in Parliament.
With the commitment to accord utmost priority to the social sector, the Survey said expenditure on social services as a percentage of GSDP has increased to 6.9 per cent in 2016 -17 from 6 per cent in 2014-15.

It said the Government is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for education - 'Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning' by 2030.
India has made significant progress in quantitative indicators such as enrolment levels, completion rates and other physical infrastructure like construction of school buildings/class rooms, drinking water facilities, toilet facilities and appointment of teachers at elementary school level.
However, it said compared to other states, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have higher percentage of schools where there were lesser teachers.

Talking about gender parity index, the Survey said 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme for promoting survival, protection and education of girl child has been approved for expansion to cover all 640 districts in the country.

Emphasising that the government is equally focused on improving health for all, the Survey said the government has approved setting up of National Nutrition Mission (NNM) commencing this fiscal. The NNM, as an apex body, will monitor, supervise, fix targets and guide the nutrition related interventions across ministries.
It said the programme will strive to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies. It will create synergy, ensure better monitoring, issue alerts for timely action to achieve the targeted goals.
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), it said the scheme aims to safeguard the health of women and children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel LPG, so that they do not have to compromise their health in smoky kitchens or wander in unsafe areas collecting firewood.

"Since inception, around 3.3 crore LPG connections have already been provided as on January 18, 2018," it said.
The National Health Policy, 2017, it said, has recommended increasing State sector health spending to more than 8 per cent of the State government budget by 2020.