The Hindu : Karnataka News : Expert from State included in Economic Advisory Council

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 01, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Expert from State included in Economic Advisory Council

By T.S. Ranganna

BANGALORE, DEC. 31. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, who has constituted the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) under the chairmanship of C. Rangarajan to advise him on economic policy matters, has nominated four members including the Director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), M. Govinda Rao, from Karnataka. Dr. Rangarajan was the Chairman of the 12th Finance Commission till his appointment as Chairman of the EAC.

Speaking to The Hindu from Gangtok, Sikkim, Dr. Govinda Rao, who enjoys the rank of Union Minister of State, said he is happy to serve on the prestigious national body which advises the Centre on matters that concerned the development of the economy. Prior to joining the NIPFP, a centre for advanced applied research, advocacy and training in public finance and public policy, Dr. Rao, who holds a Ph.D. in Economics, served as Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Change in Bangalore. His talents were recognised first by the noted expert on public finance D.T. Lakdawala, who was Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission during Janata Party rule at the Centre.

He has vast experience serving as a Fellow in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, and the Australian National University; and as professor, NIPFP. Dr. Rao was Economic Adviser to the Ninth Finance Commission. He was an external expert to the Financial and Fiscal Commission, Republic of South Africa. He has also served as Consultant to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Development Project, the Asian Development Bank and the UNESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific).

The economist, born in Udupi, is a brother of U.R. Rao, former Chairman of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and Prasar Bharati. Dr. Govinda Rao has held several advisory positions such as Chairman of the expert group on Taxation of Services in the Union Ministry of Finance. He was a member of the Tax Reforms Commission headed by the former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily.

Now Chairman of the Technical Expert Committee on Introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) in the Union Finance Ministry, which is gearing itself up to implement VAT from April 1 next year, Dr. Rao has authored and edited a number of books.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka