Yashika Singh – head - economy analysis group, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) India commenting on the Economic Survey FY 2009 said that the Survey has an almost unprecedented focus on reforms, which is extremely encouraging.

Apart from the various initiatives proposed, the suggestion of the move towards fiscal responsibility is another positive suggestion. It remains to be seen how many of these suggestions find articulation in the budget. It is conceivable that the road-map suggested by the Survey may be met by policy initiatives that need not necessarily be announced as a part of the Union Budget. In some sense, the Survey seems to demarcate those issues that pertain to the immediate concerns of the economy, with those that may be deemed more important from a strategic and structural perspective. Hence, the policy initiatives required to meet these objectives might be accordingly paced, she said.

The Survey has predicted a GDP growth of 7-7.5% for FY10. While there are some downside risks, there seem to be emerging signs of stability in the economy. The D&B Business Optimism Index for Q3 2009 (Jul - Sep) went up by as much as 40% on a q-o-q basis. While the Index is still lower than what it was for the same period last year, this sharp jump in sentiment implies that confidence might be returning to the corporate sector, and much of the uncertainty may have been allayed. In this context, the suggestion of ``exit`` strategies in terms of fiscal and monetary policies as espoused in the Survey become even more critical. Timely and effective implementation of the suggestions in the Survey would be crucial towards achieving growth targets, she added.