Economy has become less ethics, more maths: Ramnath Kovind

Vijayawada: President Ramnath Kovind expressed his concern over diminishing ethics in society. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi on combining ethics and economics for a healthy country, the President said the present state of the economy was “less ethics and more mathematics”. He said this while inaugurating 100th annual conference of the Indian Economic Association (IEA) at Acharya Nagarjuna University on Wednesday.

He asked the conference to address the issue of wealth distribution to the SCs, STs and BCs and find ways to eradicate poverty. The IEA played a crucial role in financial reforms and policy-making and such brainstorming sessions would help the country’s development, he said. “Now we are at an important turning point of development. There are many opportunities internationally. We have to strengthen ourselves by utilising them. At the same time, the result of the development should reach everybody, particularly backward sections and backward areas.”

The President has lit the lamp along with Nobel laureate Mohammed Yun-us, Governor Narasimhan, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and conference president Dr Rangarajan. Dr Yunus mentioned ab-out economic disparities and requested delegates to work out a solution. Governor Narasimhan wanted the gap between urban and rural econo-mies to go and make agriculture more profitable using lesser land.

Mr Naidu appealed to the delegates to work out concepts for speedy development of AP. “We have knowledge, technology and human resources. We are getting good growth rate, above national average. But, the pace is low. Wealth was being created, but not distributed to all”. As many as 725 delegates were attending the four-day conference.

Clamour for food packets irks President:

President Ram Nath Kovind made his displeasure known when organisers began distributing food packets even as he was speaking at the centenary conference of the Indian Economic Association (IEA). Briefly interrupting his address, Mr Kovind asked them to stop distributing the packets till his speech was over. Two minutes into his speech, Mr Kovind paused and looked at the audience as there was a sudden noise.

The volunteers had started distributing the food packets among the delegates and mediapersons and a group of students had got up from their seats in their hurry to grab them. “What is happening in the economic world...I see the same picture at this conference also. I think some food packets are being distributed. Of course, it is a must, but it has disturbed the system itself.”

“Therefore, I request the organisers, will you please keep the distribution of food packets in abeyance for a little while,” Mr Kovind said, even as police personnel and officials intervened to stop the distribution. The President then continued with his address.