Expenditure on social services, out of total budgetary expenditure, increased to 26 per cent in 2019-20 (BE) from 23.4 per cent in 2014-15, reveals the Economic Survey 2019-20, tabled in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday.

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The survey report shows that between 2014-15 and 2019-20, India has increased its expenditure on social services, by 1.5 percent of the GDP.

Of a total budgetary expenditure of Rs 32.85 lakh crore in 2014-15, expenditure on social services, including education and health, was Rs 7.68 lakh crore. For 2019-20, total budgetary expenditure is pegged at Rs 60.72 lakh crore whereas expenditure on social services is Rs 15.79 lakh crore.

For education, expenditure increased from 2.8 per cent in 2014-15 to 3.1 per cent in 2019-20 and for health it increased from 1.2 to 1.6 per cent.

The Survey claims that the country has registered significant progress in the social services sectors of education, health and employment in the last five years as per data from the Economic Survey 2019-20.

The Economic Survey provides a holistic view of the performance of different sectors during the fiscal. Crafted by the Chief Economic Advisor to the government, the Survey was tabled in the Parliament by the union finance minister, a day ahead of the presentation of the union Budget.

Economic Survey points out high drop-out rates in schools
The Economic Survey, released on Friday, pointed out high drop out rates at various levels of schooling and lack of affordability in higher education as areas of concern. The Survey emphasised that Samagra Shiksha 2018-19, was launched to envisage school education as a continuation from pre-school to senior secondary level to provide access to education to all.

Accordingly, the government has initiated the process of formulating a new Education Policy with a focus on quality education, innovation and research.

According to the pre-budget survey tabled in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Government`s interventions in the education sector are targeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-4 of inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030.

Expansion of Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Program, Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) platform and e-content sites like e-pathshala, are some of the other government initiatives in this direction.

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The Survey also outlines initiatives taken for improving the quality learning and teaching in higher and technical education. Establishment of Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA), schemes like National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT), Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP), PARAMARSH and mega online degree programme SWAYAM 2.0 are among others.

The Economic Survey is a crucial document scripted by the Chief Economic Advisor and approved by the union finance minister. The survey gives a sneak peek into the Union Budget that will be presented in Parliament on Saturday.

The Survey provides a bird`s eye view on the performance of various sectors in the financial year and indicates possible policy changes in the year ahead.