IIM Calcutta Holds Conference on “25 Years of Economic Reform:Retrospect and Prospects”

By Trictynews Reporter

Chandigarh 18^th October:- Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, in association with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is organising a two-day conference on “25 years of Economic Reforms: Retrospect and Prospects” on October 24 -25, 2016 at Hotel Oberoi Grand, Kolkata. The conference, while reviewing the story of the reforms over the past twenty five years, will deliberate on newer ideas for the next quarter of a century that can help India reduce poverty and inequality, and embark on the path of growth and sustainability.The year 2016 not only marks 25 years of economic reforms, but also marks the time to commemorate the event jointly organized by ORF and IIM-C in 1991. This has led the two leading institutions to join hands yet again to organize the proposed Conference.

The  Conference will bring together thinkers of the past and present from various walks of life including, economy, society, and polity to deliberate on various issues, including ‘Challenges in Policy making’, ‘Public Finance’, ‘Infrastructure’, ‘Energy’, ‘Environment’, and ‘Climate Change’, ‘Industry’, ‘Landand Labour’, ‘International Trade and Financial Liberalization’, and ‘Agriculture’.The Conference will see a series of panel discussions and the panellists would be the luminaries like P. Chidambaram, Former Minister of Finance, Government of India, Jairam Ramesh, former Minister of Rural Development, Ma-Zhanwu, Consul- General, People’s Republic of China in Kolkata, Medha Patkar, founder member of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) & National Convener of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM),N. K. Singh, Former  Revenue Secretary and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange, Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India,Saumitra Chaudhuri, Former member of Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Anil Razdan, Former Secretary Power,

Speaking on this, Professor Saibal Chattopadhyay, Director, IIM Calcutta said that 2016 marks the 25th year of the onset of economic reforms in India. IIM Calcutta and ORF are jointly organizing a conference to commemorate this occasion. This conference aims to bring together some of the best minds from policymaking, industry and academia to analyze, debate and discuss the experience of the reform process and chart possible roadmaps and policy alternatives for the next 25 years. Like 1991, in 2016 we are also poised for major changes in the national and global economy and this conference is expected to generate an informed debate and set the agenda for the future of economic policymaking in India.”

Professor Ashok Dhar, Director, Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata Chapter said that we learn from the past to create future pathways. This Conference will be a melting pot of ideas emerging from learning from the 25 years’ of our experience of economic liberalization. It will take stock of the changes that have reshaped global economy and trade and impacted the trajectory of reforms in our country. We envisage this Conference as a confluence of the best minds, the experienced and the new, the present and the future, setting the agenda for the next generation of economic reforms that can generate sustainable growth with equity.