JOIN USUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assistant secretary general Ajay Chibber is likely to become the new chief economic adviser to the UPA government which is battling a failing monsoon and a sagging economy.
Kaushik Basu’s two-and-a-half tenure as the chief economic adviser is coming to an end on July 31.
Government sources said that Chibber’s security clearance has been sought—which is a step closer to giving a nod to a person’s appointment for the top slot.
Chibber and former economist with the International Monetary Fund, Raghuram Rajan, were hot contenders for economic adviser post, which has gained importance given the fact that rising inflation is halting the growth affecting the common man.
The names were shortlisted by a three-member search committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's key economic aide C Rangarajan and comprised economic affairs secretary R Gopalan and personal secretary PK Mishra.