More investments needed in social sector: Jadhav

Panaji, Sep 8 (UNI) India, moving forward with several positive achievements to become an economic superpower in the 21st century, will witness more mouths to feed but not hands to work if it fails to make adequate investment in social sector, avers a noted economist.

''If we do not make adequate investments in social sector, particularly in education and health to improve human development indices, we will be adding more mouths to feed, not hands to work with,'' Pune University vice chancellor and economic expert Dr Narendra Jadhav said.

He was delivering a special lecture on ''Indian Economy: Challenges and Prospects'' as part of the ''Knowledge Series'' initiated by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) here today.

The country needs to adopt ''more aggressive strategies'' to improve its record in social development indicators as part of becoming an economic superpower, he said, adding, ''Otherwise, the positive achievements since the introduction of economic reforms in 1991 that resulted in India ranking the second fastest growing country after China, become meaningless.'' ''Regretably, India ranked 127th among 170 countries in the Human Development Indices during a study conducted by United Nations recently, as we did badly in the sectors like education and health,'' Dr Jadhav said.

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