The Indian economy is well placed to take on the challenges of 2022-23, riding on the back of continuous reforms in supply side and safety nets to the vulnerable sections of the society, hit by the Covid 19 pandemic, Assocham said on Thursday, echoing the sentiment of the Economic Survey.

“While the 8-8.5 GDP projections for FY’ 23 are on the back of a high base of 9.2 per cent in the current financial year, the traders’ body opined even as the pandemic is still raging in most parts of the world.

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With 75 per cent of eligible Indians fully vaccinated and the booster doses being rolled out, India would be far better prepared to take on the challenges,” ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr Deepak Sood said.

Good thing is, as the Survey has pointed out, that the Government has the fiscal capacity to maintain the support, and ramp up capital expenditure when required.

Mr Sood said the Economic Survey is right in its assessment about the investment scenario. The private investment recovery is still at a nascent stage, though there are increased activities in the brownfield projects . The heavy lifting would still be needed by the government capital expenditure. “We expect it in the Budget.”

Schemes like Credit Guarantee with 100 percent guarantee for additional funding of Rs 4.5 lakh crore to MSMEs have provided a critical relief to the sectors, severely hit by the pandemic. More such measures are expected in the Budget.

Successful completion of Air India disinvestment should infuse confidence for the roadmap put forth by the Survey that has re-emphasised the government’s asset monetisation and disinvestment agenda which spells out bare minimum presence of the government ownership even in the strategic sectors.

He said the advance estimates suggest manufacturing to be growing by 12.5 per cent in the current fiscal while services would expand by 8.5 per cent.

”Traditionally, services grow at a faster pace. Clearly the Covid impact on contact intensive industries is reflecting even as the manufacturing has been aided by supply side reforms. Once the impact of PLI scheme kicks in, we expect the manufacturing to be leading the growth for the foreseeable future,” he said.