Page 699 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

326 Economic Survey 2020-21 Volume 2

the labour market. In the health sector, strengthening of health infrastructure and efficiency
in health care delivery was reflected in the outcomes of NFHS-5 with infant mortality rate
and under-five mortality rate showing a decline in most of the selected States in NFHS-5
as compared to NFHS-4. As shown in the Chapter 10 of Volume I, this reduction resulted
from the roll out of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana under Ayushman Bharat.
Allocation for the health sector has flowed towards special requirements in the fight
against COVID-19 to ensure essential medicines, hand sanitizers, protective equipment
including masks, PPE Kits, ventilators and adequate testing and treatment facilities as
well as in vaccinating the population. In 2020-21, to mitigate the effects of COVID-19
induced restrictions on loss of livelihood, the Government has taken various measures
such as giving incentive to boost employment under the scheme Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Rojgar Yojana, higher allocation under MGNREGS, Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan for
migrant workers in the destinations States and has also notified path-breaking labour
reforms to attract big investment in the economy.

INTRODUCTION

10.1 The COVID-19 has brought into focus the vulnerabilities of societies, states and countries
in facing a pandemic. India imposed a complete lockdown of the economy from 24 March,
th
to 31 May 2020, which helped in arresting the number of fatalities due to COVID-19 as well
st
as taking precautionary measures to contain the spread of the disease and it has helped India
to save lakhs of lives. However, the lockdown had an inevitable impact on the vulnerable
and informal sector, the education system, and on the economy as a whole. The Government
announced the first relief package of ` 1.70 lakh crores under ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan
Yojana (PMGKY)’ in March, 2020 and comprehensive stimulus cum relief package of ` 20
lakh crore under ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ in May, 2020. Development and welfare
schemes being implemented by the Government over the years together with these relief
measures enabled the country to endure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and led to a
V-shaped economic recovery (Chapter 1 of Volume I).

TRENDS IN SOCIAL SECTOR EXPENDITURE

10.2 The expenditure on social services (education, health and other social sectors) by Centre
and States combined as a proportion of GDP increased from 6.2 to 8.8 per cent during the period
2014-15 to 2020-21 (BE). This increase was witnessed across all social sectors. For education,
it increased from 2.8 per cent in 2014-15 to 3.5 per cent and for health, from 1.2 per cent
to 1.5 per cent during the same period. Relative importance of social services in government
budget, as measured in terms of the share of expenditure on social services out of total
budgetary expenditure, has also increased to 26.5 per cent in 2020-21 (BE) from 23.4 per cent in
2014-15 (Table 1).