New Delhi, Feb 28 : Giving emphasis over the different social sectors, the Economic Survey, tabled today by Union Finance Minister P.

New Delhi, Feb28, : Following are some of the key highlights of the Economic Survey 2008-09 tabled by Finance Minister P Chidambaram in Parliament today.

Economy moves decisively to higher growth phase

Economic growth in 2007-08 projected at 8.7 per cent

Overall inflation projected to decline from 5.6 per cent in 2006-07 to 4.1 per cent in 2007-08

Acceleration in domestic investment and savings rates

Buoyant growth in Government Revenues

Investment climate full of optimism

New Delhi, Feb 28: Pushing for reforms, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram while tabling the Economic Survey in the Lok Sabha today suggested a slew of reform measures that alone could help raise growth to an ambitious double digit level.

These include opening retail to FDI, hiking FDI in insurance to 49 per cent, allowing 100 per cent FDI in new private rural agricultural banks, selling up to 10 per cent equity of Navratna (cash-rich) PSUs.

New Delhi, Feb 28: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) is likely to meet today to take a final decision on an affidavit that the Government will file before the Supreme Court on the S

New Delhi, Feb 28: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will table the Economic Survey, an analytical report indicating the health of the Indian economy, in the Parliament today.

Following the presentation of the Railway Budget on Tuesday, the public and the industry expect Chidambaram to announce a cut in income tax and excise duties on various commodities to sustain GDP growth.

The Economic Survey is likely to focus on the Central Government's social sector achievements.

New Delhi, Feb 26: A farmers’ delegation led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader M S Tikait on Wednesday met with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and submitted a memorandum of demands to him.

The delegation held discussions with Pawar on wide-ranging issues, including the need to provide loans at low interest and to reduce the unit area for crop insurance purposes.

During his meeting with the delegation, Pawar expressed the Centre’s commitment to protect their interests in World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations.