Insufficient access to health care, education, housing and civic amenities have to be addressed to achieve the dreams of a new India by the year 2022, when India commemorates the 75th anniversary of Independence, President Ram Nath Kovind has said.
Addressing the issues being faced by traditionally weaker sections such as OBCs, SC and ST communities and women at the local and State level would drive forward the Indian Development Experience, Mr. Kovind said after inaugurating the centenary conference of Indian Economic Association (IEA) held at Bible Mission grounds opposite Acharya Nagarjuna University here on Wednesday.
While urging the economists to work more with the State Governments and offer them counsel and recommendations that are specific to their regions and demographic profiles, the President congratulated the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for making Andhra Pradesh a leader in economic thinking and initiatives and for converting the policy perceptions into projects on the ground.
Stating that the world is facing a situation where many societies that had so far advocated the cause of a liberal trading order are turning perfectionist, the President said that the onus is on emerging economies such as India to speak up for an inter-connected world, where fair and growing trade helps the largest number of people.
“The era of formal jobs is gradually yielding to one of employment opportunities and even self-employment opportunities in specialised manufacturing , in the services sector , digital economy and the more informal — gig economy. We have to understand these sectors and design social security measures and safety nets to protect its workers,” the President said.
Nobel Laureate and founder of Grameena Bank, Muhammad Yunus said that poverty is bred out of the system and imposed on people. Comparing the current world economic order to an mushroom plant, he said that 99.9 per cent of wealth continues to remain on top of the tree while the vast number of people who constitute the trunk of the tree is just 1 percent.
Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ESL Narasimhan released the special issue of the IEA journal, souvenir of the conference and books written by conference president C. Rangarajan and P.K Joshi.
Mr. Naidu, who is also the chief patron of the conference, said that Andhra Pradesh has emerged a role model in driving economic growth through innovative policies and tapping digital technologies. The growth rate in the state has been increasing ever since the bifurcation and the state had even achieved the double digit growth rate, much more than the average growth rate of the country.
IEA, president and former chairman of UGC and ICSSR, Sukhadeo Thorat said that the conference with an overarching theme "India's Development Experience", would have five sub-themes-"Pace and pattern of development,'' "Monetary and Fiscal Issues in Development Process'', "India and External World'', "Issues in Distribution" and Sectoral Performance in Agriculture, Manufacturing and Service Sector".
Vice Chancellor, ANU, A, Rajendra Prasad welcomed the delegates. General secretary and treasurer, IEA, Anil Kumar Thakur proposed the vote of thanks.
