Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said economic growth is likely to be 7 per cent or more during the current fiscal. He was inaugurating the 92nd conference of the Indian Economic Association (IEA) in Bhubaneshwar today. He said the economic reforms started in the early 1990s have been paying dividends now. Despite ups and downs in the economy, India’s average growth rate has been 6.8 per cent. Prime Minister said special attention to increase agricultural productivity, helping small firms in mobilising resources and reduce the scope for corruption are the need of the hour.<br/><br/>He denied that new economic policies have had an adverse effect on the poor. However, he said much needs to be done as poverty remains a major challenge before the country. Dr Singh said India needs to create new jobs at a rate faster than the growth of labour force. He said education, health care and rural development should be priority areas. Citing climate change as a difficult challenge before everyone, the Prime Minister said an optimal solution to it can be found only if the world collectively reaches a mutually satisfactory way out.<br/><br/>Chief Minister of Orissa, Mr Naveen Patnaik, also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, The Prime Minister arrived in a special IAF aircraft at the Biju Patnaik Airport and was received by Orissa Governor M C Bhandare, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior government officials. During his visit ,he will also lay the foundation stone of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Argul 25 km from the state capital.<br/>