Arvind Subramanian an excellent choice as Chief Economic Adviser: P Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian is pro-growth and pro-reform, Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said, while terming the choice as "excellent".

"Arvind Subramanian has been on the short list of candidates for CEA for many years and I am happy he will begin his tenure under a new Government.

"He brings to the job rich and varied experience and acclaimed work as a distinguished academic. He is pro-growth and pro-reform and unafraid to speak his mind. An excellent choice," he said in a statement.

Former IMF economist Subramanian today took charge as the Chief Economic Advisor to the Finance Ministry.

The post of CEA has been lying vacant since Raghuram Rajan left the Finance Ministry to join the Reserve Bank as Governor in September last year.

After taking charge, Subramanian told reporters: "It's an absolute honour and privilege to come at this time, a time of great hope and dynamism for the economy, to serve in the government that has manadate for a reform and change...I think good things are ahead for the Indian economy".

A graduate from St Stephens College, Subramanian has been advising the Indian government in different capacities and has been a member of the Finance Minister's Expert Group on the G-20.