Patna: Economist Meghnad Desai on Saturday criticised the prevalent system of providing electricity at subsidised rates and said the government should take immediate steps to end it.
Subsidy on electricity virtually leads to destruction of resources, he said addressing a session 'Challenges Before Bihar, Opportunities and Achievements' on the second day of Global Bihar Summit here.
''Giving subsidy while providing electricity is like offering free feast and destruction of financial resources rather waste of resources.''
Referring to Bihar, Desai, a member of the British
House of Lords, said it would have to make women labour power
an organ in the daily financial routine if the state had to
progress.
''It is a matter of concern that the participation of
women in the labour force has been very less ... Excess
expenditure on developing women power can play a pivotal role
in the development of the state.''
The state should also give due attention to micro
level planning. Special attention was required to give
attention to every member of a family to reach the fruits of
development.
Desai stressed on the nutrition for the girl child, as
their numbers formed the major chunk in the number of children
affected by malnutrition in the state.
The fruits of development could be accessed by
villages which have internet facilities, he said at the
session participated by Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi and
Chief Secretary Navin Kumar.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 18, 2012, 16:03