Who is Pagariya?

Renowned pro–growth economist Arvind Pagariya has been appointed the first vice–chairman of the newly announced Niti Aayog, which has replaced the Planning Commission.  The new body – the tiol Institution for Transforming India Aayog – will be headed by the Prime Minister, and comprises a vice–chairperson, besides full–time and part–time members. Bibek Debroy and VK Saraswat are full–time members.  Here’s all you want to know about Arvind Pagariya.

1. 62–year–old Arvind Pagariya is an Indian–American economist and professor of economics at Columbia University.

2. Pagariya has earlier been the chief economist of the Asian Development Bank and a professor of economics and co–director, Center for Intertiol Economics, University of Maryland at College Park.

3. Holding a PhD degree in Economics from Princeton University, Pagariya has also worked for the World Bank, Intertiol Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United tions Conference on Trade and Development in various capacities.

4. Arvind Pagariya, as vice–chairman, would have a pivotal role in coorditing economic strategy and will hold Cabinet rank.

5. Arvind Pagariya’s market–friendly, pro–growth economics has helped shape rendra Modi’s outlook and is seen by many as a Margaret Thatcher–like attack on overbearing labour regulations and state–run companies.

6. Arvind Pagariya last year has said that he rejected such comparisons, saying India needed to restore space to markets but that there was still a need for growth in social spending in a country that has about a third of the world’s extremely poor.

7. Arvind Pagariya, mentored by trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, is one of the main brains behind the recent labour reforms in Rajasthan. He was vice–chairman of Rajasthan chief minister’s economic advisory council.