Kolkata: West Bengal slipped down in many parameters like literacy, health and education over the last 30-odd years, chief economic advisor with the Union Finance Ministry Kaushik Basu said here on Saturday.
"At the time of Independence, West Bengal topped the parameters of literacy, health and education. But the state has slipped to low levels in the last 30 or so years," Basu told reporters at an event.
Basu said driving away industry and capital would not
help in generating growth and development.
"Industry and capital were driven out by driving a hard
bargain. The former (Left Front) government had realised at
the last moment but it was too late and the onus had come upon
the new government," Basu said.
He said the new government had good intentions but there
was a need for designing of good policies and professional
intelligence.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 05, 2011, 20:29