A national webinar on “Strategic Review of Indian Economy in the context of Pandemic” was held by the Department of Economics, Sibsagar Commerce College with resource persons Prof. Deb Kumar Chakraborty from the Department of Economics, Dibrugarh University and Dr. Sandeep Kaur, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Economic Studies, Central University of Punjab on 13 June 2021 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. They were joined in deliberations by Dr. SaumarJyotiMahanta, Principal, Sibsagar Commerce College, who delivered the welcome address. In his address, Dr. Mahanta, quoting Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, stated the need for a structural change in the economy to overcome the crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic.
The programme started with the words from Pankaj Jyoti Hazarika, Head, Department of Economics, remembering Purabi Gogoi Saikia, an alumna of Sibsagar Commerce College who recently passed away due to post Covid complications and dedicating the webinar in the memory of the deceased soul. Prof. D. K. Chakraborty, in his speech, spoke for vaccination of the economy against covid-19. In his deliberation, Prof. Chakraborty has stressed on three goals of efficiency, sustainability and equity during policy making. Speaking about the ways to prepare the economy for third wave, Chakraborty suggested diversification of foreign trade, increase in FPI, strengthening the MSMEs, and labour reforms in connection with policies and region-specific needs. He urged for setting up of E- hubs in panchayats for students and farmers.
Another resource person, Dr. Sandeep Kaur, spoke for the structural change in the Indian agriculture sector to save small and marginal farmers from the wrath of crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. She stressed the strengthening of agricultural infrastructure like increasing the number of warehouses, developing irrigation facilities, improving marketing channels, information dissemination among farmers, etc. More than 200 participants attended the webinar. At the end of the programme, Asfiya Shah, gave the vote of thanks. Dr. AnkitaBorbora moderated the programme. The technical support for the webinar was lent by Dr. Mrinal Kumar Dutta.