Knowledge panel to submit report soon

The National Knowledge Commission would submit its report to the government in two months, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said.

The report was important as the country faced severe skill shortage across all sectors, he said.

The knowledge commission, constituted by the prime minister, will outline the measures to be taken to retain the country's competitiveness in all sectors in the next 10 years.

"The economy is growing at 7 to 8 per cent. But the country is going to face severe skill shortage across all sectors in coming days. The knowledge commission will discuss the measures to be adopted in the next 10 years," Ahluwalia said.

The knowledge commission will advise the government on matters relating to institutions of production, use and dissemination of knowledge.

The commission is headed by eminent technocrat Sam Pitroda. Other members of the panel are P M Bhargava, Nandan Nilekani, Deepak Nayyar, Ashok Ganguly, Andre Beteille, Jayati Ghosh and Pratap Bhanu Mehta.

Ahluwalia, while speaking at the 16th Asian Corporate Conference here today, pointed out that the government was aiming at achieving 9 per cent economic growth.

"This seems feasible for short term as the private sector has gained a lot of confidence and foreign direct investment (FDI) is gaining momentum," he said.

However, the single-most challenge would be creating quality infrastructure. This can be done by public "� private partnership.

"While the economy is growing, it show 'inclusiveness'. The country should also focus on accelerated growth process in agriculture. It should give high priority to modernisation of agriculture," he said.

Ahluwalia exhorted for concerted efforts to take agriculture into areas such as food processing, horticulture, life sciences, agri export linkage facilities, assistance in marketing and post harvesting technologies.

"Government should also focus on building strong logistics and supply chain to back marketing and post harvesting agricultural process," he added.