GDP Growth, Employment and Poverty:
The advocates of economic reforms point out that the reform process has the potential of accelerating economic growth. After the teething troubles of the just two years - 1991-92 and 1992-1993, growth rate picked up and GDP growth averaged about 7 per cent during 1993-94 to 1997-98 (Refer table 8.1). However, thereafter, the growth process became uneven and even decelerated during 1998- 99 to 2002-03 to an average of 5.3 per cent per annum. If we compare the annual average growth rate during the pre-reform period (1980-81 to 1990-91) which was of the order of 5.6 per cent per annum, then the post-reform 12-year period (1990-91 to 2002-03) also shows an average growth rate of 5.5 per cent (Refer table 8.1). Obviously, the claim of the advocates of reforms that they have been able to substantially jack up growth to 6-7 per cent per annum is not borne out by facts. This implies that the reform process has yet to establish its distinct superiority over the pre-reform period.