KOLKATA: Bengal chief secretary H K Dwivedi, who during his nine-year stint as state finance secretary introduced innovative methods to manage the state’s huge debt burden, was awarded a PhD by Calcutta University for his research on debt-sustainability of Indian states.
Dwivedi’s thesis — “Measurement of fiscal and debt sustainability of Indian states - an alternative approach” — was guided by Achin Chakraborty of the Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata.
The chief secretary had completed his masters in development economics from the London School of Economics.
Dwivedi focused his research on his experience in running the state exchequer amid fiscal deficit and debt problems. His study aimed to analyse the structural fiscal problems and fiscal management of state governments based on long-term behaviour of major fiscal variables during the last 36 years. His study suggested an alternative model for the calculation of debt-sustainability of Indian states.
As finance secretary, Dwivedi had implemented public finance management reforms in Bengal. CU sources said the date of convocation is yet to be finalised.
