Delivering a lecture on “India at 2030”, jointly organised by Bangalore University and Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), he said: “Nearly 800 million people in the country do not have access to the fruits of liberalisation.”

Pai also proposed a direct cash transfer scheme to tackle poverty where Rs 2,000 will be delivered to women of BPL (below poverty line) families per month.

Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh, Pai said: “Free power and national health insurance for all BPL families was the reason for success of the late YSR Reddy’s government. The economically poor individuals could avail medical benefits through the insurance project.”
Pai said 52 out of every 100 individuals is not able to reach standard 10th.

“Education should be liberalised. There are jobs but not enough skilled, educated people to take on those jobs. The enrolment ratio in higher education has to be increased. Lack of autonomy, financial assistance and lack of access are the reasons for the detriments in education,” he observed.

Nearly five lakhs students appear each year to gain admissions for 8,000 seats available at the coveted IIMs and IITs, he said. Pai observed: “Of the total five lakh, only 1.5 percent candidates are selected for IIMs, IITs, which indicates that the rest of the 4.92 lakh students do no get quality education. There is a need to increase the number of seats to provide quality education to all.”