Business

Freefall: India’s FY20 GDP growth lowest in the last 11 yrs

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) The general economic slowdown, along with the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic, pulled India’s GDP growth rate down to 3.1 per cent in the last quarter of 2019-20.

The Q4 growth rate was slower than 4.1 per cent in Q3 and 5.7 per cent reported for the like period of the previous fiscal.

Consequently, India’s FY20 GDP declined to 4.2 per cent from 6.1 per cent in FY19. This is the slowest rate of India’s GDP growth in the last 11 years.

However, the rate, if looked from the prism of constant prices at 2011-12 prices, would still be the lowest in the last 8 years.

“Real GDP or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at Constant (2011-12) Prices in the year 2019-20 is now estimated to attain a level of Rs 145.66 lakh crore, as against the First Revised Estimate of GDP for the year 2018-19 of Rs 139.81 lakh crore, released on 31st January 2020,” the National Statistical Office (NSO) said.

“The growth in GDP during 2019-20 is estimated at 4.2 per cent as compared to 6.1 per cent in 2018-19.”

“GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in Q4 of 2019-20 is estimated at Rs 38.04 lakh crore, as against Rs 36.90 lakh crore in Q4 of 2018-19, showing a growth of 3.1 per cent.”

On a sequential basis, the quarterly growth rate has progressively come down from 5.2 per cent in Q1 of 2019-20 to 4.4 per cent in Q2 and 4.1 per cent in Q3.

Last fiscal, the Indian economy faced a severe demand slowdown on account of high GST rates, farm distress, stagnant wages and liquidity constraints.

This time around, the national lockdown implemented to curb the Covid-19 outbreak has dealt a severe blow to the economy.

However, the NSO said that these estimates on quarterly as well as annual basis are likely to undergo revisions.

“In view of the global Covid-19 pandemic and consequent nationwide lockdown measures implemented since March 2020, the data flow from the economic entities has been impacted.

“As some of these units are yet to resume operations and owing to the fact that the statutory time-lines for submitting the requisite financial returns have been extended by the government, these estimates are based on the available data.”

–IANS

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