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Indian economy unlikely to grow at 6.5% in FY14: Montek

Ahluwalia said the objective of the government should be to expect a turnaround in the economic growth from last year

Press Trust of India New Delhi
Indian economy is unlikely to grow at 6.5% in the current fiscal as there is a slowdown in emerging economies as well as the developed world, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said.

"It has been quite clear that the slowing down in the global economy, of all emerging markets, made it very unlikely that we would get to 6.5%," Ahluwalia told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.

The government has projected economic growth of about 6.5% for 2013-14 in the Budget.

Ahluwalia said the objective of the government should be to expect a turnaround in the economic growth from last year.
 

India's economic growth had plunged to a decade low of 5% in the 2012-13 fiscal amid global economic slowdown and domestic factors.

"Last year, we ended up with 5% but the last quarter was below 5%. We want to see the growth rate get back to something above 5%.

"I know that many international observers have pitched the likely growth rate at somewhere around 5.7%. Personally, I think if we do 5.7%, it is less than what we hoped, but it will clearly indicate that the economy is now on the rebound," he said.

The Planning Commission had set an average annual economic growth rate of 8% in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17).

The Commission has already started the process of reviewing the 5-year policy document and it is likely to scale down the annual average growth rate target to 7% in view of persistent sluggishness in the economy.

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First Published: Jul 16 2013 | 4:26 PM IST

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