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Indian Statistical Institute, LSE sign research pact
Monday, 06 December 2010, 16:02 IST
Kolkata: The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) has signed an agreement with the London School of Economics (LSE) to help policy makers conduct research in formulating strategies to ensure long-term sustainable growth, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced Sunday.
"The agreement between the LSE and ISI was signed in London on November 29," said Mukherjee at a programme where the ISI signed a memorandum of agreement with Assam's Tezpur Central University to set up its fifth centre at Tezpur.
The main objective behind the initiative is to "produce demand driven research outputs" that strengthen the "evidence base for policy making relevant to Indian's long-run growth", an ISI release said. It will also help strengthen the capacity of India's policy research institution through collaborative research and exchange of ideas.
The research would be funded by Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) and the "collaborative research partnership" will run till March 2012.
Mukherjee said the basic parameters of development have been changed for the first time in the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) where stress has been laid on real development and empowerment of the people of the country instead of only giving importance to the growth of the country.
"Growth should be based on knowledge. By 2050, the average age of India's 70 percent population will be below 40. This means India will be the country having the largest working force. Providing job opportunities to all is a huge and challenging task. This is why emphasis has been given on skill development and expansion of the knowledge-base," he said.
To achieve this goal, an apex committee led by the prime minister and two other bodies headed by the finance minister and deputy chairman of the planning commission respectively have been set up, he said.
Mukherjee said mere statistical growth of GDP does not always reflect development.
"To ensure development, there should be proper entitlements backed by legal enactment. This is why right to education and right to food have been enacted. Since legal enactment was made, one can now move the court with a plea to direct to the government to give education (to students)," he said.
Source: IANS
Source: IANS
