Meira Kumar emphasizes on need to balance growth with equity

New Delhi, Jan 24 (ANI): Emphasizing on the need to balance growth with equity and inclusiveness, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Tuesday said it is imperative to eliminate the factors responsible for the persistent poverty, despite the tremendous growth in the country's GDP.

Addressing the delegates at the Indian Economic Service Golden Jubilee Celebrations here today, Kumar said: "It is a stark reality that in spite of a remarkable growth of about 8.2 percent in our GDP, we still stand 134th in the Human Development Report 2011. Our economic growth has not translated into upgradation of the socio-economic condition of our teaming masses."

"There still remains a vast chasm between the existing social infrastructure and the desired optimum level," she added.

Meira Kumar further said that the steps towards development would require complex decision making by the government.

"With more than 400 million Indians living below poverty line, addressing poverty, in addition to the health and education needs of the people is a priority for us. It is therefore imperative to eliminate the factors responsible for the continuance of poverty and mitigate the same with suitable developmental programmes," said Kumar.

"Accomplishment of such a sonorous task entails complex and tough policy decisions, which can only be taken with the considered inputs with from our policy planners and economic administrators," she added.

The Chief Economic Adviser, Dr. Kaushik Basu, in his opening remarks recalled the events that were held as a part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the IES so far and indicated that two outstanding books were to be released that characterised two important qualities - remarkable intelligence and goodness.

The Indian Economic Service (IES) is celebrating its 50 years in 2011-12 and today's event marked the culmination of the events. The celebrations began on August 29, 2011 with inauguration by Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee and speeches by Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, and Dr. D. Subba Rao, Governor, RBI.

This was followed-up by the distinguished lectures by Dr. Bima Jalan, former Governor, RBI and Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) on September 29, 2011.

A series of other events like the release of the Calendar (Hand sketched with artist's impression of Keynes and other Nobel laureates), Essay competition, launch of knowledge portal Arthapedia and launch of IES website were also held to mark the celebrations. (ANI)