Pranab to meet economic editors tomorrow

Finance Minster Pranab Mukherjee would interact with economic editors here tomorrow and provide them comprehensive view of the overall economy.

"They (economic editors) will get a comprehensive view of the overall economic scenario in the country and the latest initiatives and thrust areas of the government," an official statement said.

The two-day conference assumes significance as the global slowdown has pulled down India's economic growth to 6.7 per cent during 2008-09 from about 9 per cent a year ago.

In the first quarter of this fiscal, economy expanded by 6.1 per cent, but the growth rate is expected to pick up despite likely fall in farm output as industry and services are buoyant.

There will be separate sessions with the ministers and senior officers of the key economic and infrastructure ministries participating in the Conference.

"The Conference will enable economic editors and journalists, invited from all over the country to interact with them and get a detailed background of the government's policies and programmes," the release said.

Besides Finance Minister, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and ministers of Power, Agriculture, Commerce & Industry, Road Transport and Highways, Tourism, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Petroleum & Natural Gas, will participate in the conference.