Bhubaneswar: Renowned economist and author Karthik Muralidharan, known globally for his expertise in education, public administration, and data-driven policy, presented his research findings in Odisha during an interactive discussion at the Kharavela Bhawan conference hall on Wednesday.
The event was part of his state visit and centered on themes from his latest book, Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance.
The discussion, attended by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, and senior bureaucrats from various departments, explored governance strategies with a focus on state-led development. District collectors and revenue commissioners from across Odisha participated virtually.
Muralidharan noted that India’s economy enjoys strong fundamentals—intellectual capital, macroeconomic stability, demographic advantage, democratic values, and the contribution of its diaspora. However, he stressed that persistent gaps in service delivery, including education, healthcare, public safety, justice, welfare, and quality employment, are holding back the country’s growth potential.
He argued that accelerating national progress requires strengthening state capacity, improving human resource management, decentralizing public spending, balancing state and market roles, and ensuring consistent execution of welfare schemes. His analysis included comparative insights between Odisha and other states, along with practical, data-backed recommendations.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja lauded Muralidharan’s presentation, calling it highly relevant to Odisha’s development trajectory. Secretaries from different departments also engaged in separate discussions with him to address domain-specific challenges and solutions.
