Economic Challenges to Make South Asia Free from Poverty and Deprivation

The South Asia Economics Students' Meet is a unique platform created in 2003-04 to give young undergraduate students of Economics an opportunity to interact academically and discuss important contemporary economic issues pertaining to South Asia. The papers in this volume were presented at the 5th Meet, held in Delhi in March 2008, on the theme "Economic Challenges to Make South Asia Free from Poverty and Deprivation." The papers are divided into four sub-themes: Section 1: Accelerating Rural Growth and Empowering the Rural Poor; Section 2: Investing in the Social Sector; Section 3: Improving the Quality of Physical Infrastructure; Section 4: Accountability, Institutions and Economic Growth. This collection of papers is special in several ways. It is topical; it not only reiterates the capabilities of the young contributors, it also reflects the quality of teaching and academics on the sub-continent. The youth of the contributors is well compensated by their intellectual maturity. This volume is the repository of the hope and effort that we have invested in our students, and in our future. It will give the reader some idea of the capabilities of our 'future economists'.