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Days after winning the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Abhijit Banerjee spoke to The Quint about the state of Indian economy, what can be done to fix it and his latest book Good Economics for Hard Times.
Banerjee’s economic views have drawn criticism from some BJP leaders. Responding to the criticism, Banerjee said he is “neither able nor willing to be involved in slanging matches.” Here are key takeaways from his interview.
On State of the Economy
Speaking on the government’s recent announcement regarding corporate tax cuts, he said there is little evidence to say that it would incentivise growth.
On His Role in NYAY
On India’s Consumption Level
Mumbai-born Banerjee was awarded the Nobel along with his wife Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty”.
His recent book shows “how economics, when done right, can help us solve the thorniest social and political problems of our day.”
Fifty-eight-year-old Banerjee was educated at the University of Calcutta, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Harvard University, where he received his PhD in 1988. He is currently the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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