'India emerging leader in inclusive economic growth'

Kolkata, March 11: Hailing India’s emergence as a leader in inclusive economic growth, US ambassador Richard Verma said on Wednesday that it can play a leadership role in bolstering connectivity in South Asia.“It’s worth noting that India is emerging as a regiol leader in creating policies to encourage inclusive economic growth. During his recent visit here, President (Barack) Obama commended Prime Minister (rendra) Modi’s “Jan Dhan” Fincial Inclusion initiative,” Verma said at a semir here on South Asian connectivity. Verma said inclusive policies at the institutiol level can directly affect economic growth rates and improve fincial stability and institutiol integrity.

“We got to see what it meant to the men and women there to have access to a modern biometric identification card,” said Verma about his last month visit to an Aadhaar Unique Identification Enrolment Centre in a small local fishing village outside Mumbai.

Verma said the US Agency for Intertiol Development (USAID)and the Modi government were filising an agreement to establish a public-private partnership with key US, Indian and intertiol organisations to create an inclusive digital economy.

“For India, Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia, domestic political sensitivities, corruption and bilateral irritants all present roadblocks for better regiol connectivity.

“Here, India can rely on its tradition of peaceful democratic change and constructive dissent to play a leadership role in the region,” said Verma. Verma stressed on the need for inclusion of those who may feel excluded or alieted from the political process and pointed out that good economic governce, simpler and more transparent trade and economic policies were the keys to expanding trade in the region.

“This is one of the reasons, the US was so supportive of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the WTO.  (IANS)