Eminent personalities from organisations like NCERT, CBSE, National Science Museum, National Book Trust and National Council for Teacher Education are also participating in the event which will be attended by over 1000 children daily. Students from about 200 districts from all over India are participating. The activities of this meet include among other things national children’s traditional arts and theatre festival, creative writers and artists workshop, computer display, science and social sciences display and also a discussion on students perspectives on education. An exhibition of paintings and writings by Navodaya Vidyalaya students on the cultural heritage giving their socio-economic perspective, is also on display.

    Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti is an autonomous organisation in the Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, which covers almost 400 rural area Vidyalayas and has a strength of 1.18 lakh students. The meet will conclude on Thursday with the Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi giving away the national awards to teachers and students of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti for their academic excellence.
 
 

    Shri Kashiram Rana, the Union Minister of Textiles, will give away the annual export awards to the members of the Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council (WWEPC) for their outstanding export performance during the year 1997-98. The Minister would be presenting 24 trophies and 31 merit certificates of growth to the exporters. Besides, ten more certificates for achieving 100% growth in exports and nine certificates for first time exporters would also be given away by Shri Rana.

    Of the ten categories that comprise the Wool & Woollens export basket atleast six have shown positive growth in exports with woollen hand woven textiles almost doubling its exports over last year for the same period. During the period April–Sept., 1998 the export in this category went up to 19.674 million US dollars from 10.082 million US $ for the same period last year, thus registering a growth of 95%. Acrylic Knitwear recorded a growth of 52 per cent over last year with this year’s six monthly exports figures of US $ 21.701 million. Among the other categories which have shown an increase in exports for this period in the year 1998 are woollen knitwear, machine-made carpets, hair-belting and woollen readymade garments. However, worsted fabrics; shawls, scarves, mufflars & other made ups; wool tops and yarn registered negative growth.
 
 

    Shri Rana said the policies and procedures for imports and exports are being simplified at all levels so as to make the system more liberal and transparent. He underlined that it was important that imported raw wool is made available to our woollen exporters at competitive international prices. While congratulating the exporters for registering a positive export growth rate despite the prevailing unhealthy market conditions, the Minister called upon the industry to enhance its efforts to penetrate into quota free markets including Latin America and South Africa. Shri Rana also exhorted the exporters to make more use of information technology to ensure faster exchange of information on fashion trends and global trade information. In his address, the Textile Minister also disclosed that the Group of Ministers constituted for giving recommendations for the Technology Upgradation Fund has cleared the proposal that is likely to get the approval of the Cabinet anytime.

    The Minister presented 24 trophies and 31 merit certificates to the exporters for their outstanding performance during the year 1997-98. Besides, ten more certificates for achieving 100% growth in exports and nine certificates for first time exporters were also given away by Shri Rana.

    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Shyamal Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, stressed upon the need to establish both forward as well as backward linkages in the wool sector to boost exports. While it was important to develop markets to face the post-MFA regime, it was also imperative that indigenous production of good quality wool be encouraged and imported raw wool be made available to the domestic manufacturers at competitive prices, he said. Quality, state-of-art-technology, speed, information technology and human resources development are the five parameters the industry will have to work upon to gear itself up to face the post-MFA international competition, Shri Ghosh said. Referring to the issues raised by the Chairman of the Council, the Secretary said that the government is keen to sort out the problems being faced by the exporters but at the same time urged the industry to present a single unanimous view before the government.

    Earlier, in his welcome address, Shri Raj Chaudhry, Chairman, WWEPC, highlighted various issues which, he felt, needed immediate attention of the government. The Council should be given powers to endorse all shipping documents of woollen products and administer knitwear quotas, he said. There should be no import duty on raw wool so that the industry can have a level playing field vis-à-vis its international competitors, he added. Shri Somesh Arora, Executive Director of the Council, proposed a vote of thanks.
 
 

    The exhibition, organised by the office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms through Association of Corporations and Apex Societies of Handlooms (ACASH), coincided with the India International Trade Fair (IITF) which was held in the city from November 14-27, 1998. The exhibition was organised with a view to bring the best of the handloom products and designs at one place through participation of the Primary Weavers’ Cooperative Societies, Apex Weavers’ Cooperative Societies and the State Handloom Corporations. Sarees, shawls, furnishings and other dress materials were put on sale as well as display at the exhibition.

    The number of participants from the year 1995-96 to 1998-99 has increased from 24 to 31 while the sales have gone up from Rs. 16 lakhs to Rs. 40.35 lakhs in the same period thus registering a growth of more than 150 per cent.

    This has been achieved as a result of the concerted efforts of the Government towards development of the handloom sector and provide support in raw material procurement, design input, technological upgradation, marketing and welfare measures.
 
 

     In his message on the occasion, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annam has called for renewed commitment to our investment in young people everywhere – for they hold the key to a safer future. He said that the young people are a powerful influence for education and understanding in their families, their peer groups, their schools, their communities and their countries.

     Every minute, 5 young people around the globe are infected with HIV because adolescence is the stage when young people become intrigued with sexual relations and experience sexual feelings. Also, most of them develop a sense of invincibility, which often results in risky behaviour / experimentation in the area of sex and drug addiction.

     Young people cannot afford to overlook the impact that HIV and AIDS has on their generation nor can they be over-looked as an effective force for change. The world’s future depends on the health of today’s young adults. The emerging AIDS pandemic is a challenge to young people around the world to recognise the crucial role they have to play in the ever- changing course of the AIDS pandemic. This years’ theme not only aims at motivating young people to get involved in reducing the spread of HIV but also encourages them to have compassion for and lend support to those affected by HIV/AIDS.

    During the past year around 5.8 million people were infected with HIV taking the total number of HIV infected persons to 33.4 million. Half of all the new infections are among the young people aged 15 to 24 years. Every day 1600 children under the age of 15 years are infected with HIV around the world. This is said to be due to the non-availability of the anti-retroviral drugs to HIV positive pregnant women. This has made nearly 8.2 million children around the world orphans.

     HIV/AIDS is spreading very fast in India. Out of 33.58 lakh screened so far, nearly 79 thousand are sero-positive amounting to a sero-positivity rate of 23.61 per thousand. There are about 6607 AIDS cases in India, of which 5204 are males. The sex industry in this part of the world is said to have facilitated the rampant spread of HIV. Nearly 74% of the HIV infection is through hetero-sexual promiscuous behaviour.

     While HIV has not affected Asia as quickly as it has in case of Sub-Saharan Africa, the pandemic is expected to grow fast. UNAIDS reports say that by the end of year 2000, one out of every 4 HIV infections world-wide will be in Asia and Pacific.
 
 

    The present Master Plan of Delhi will continue to be inforce upto 2001. The New Master Plan which will come into force after 2001 is at the conceptual stage.

    In view of the above, it is premature to detail the features of the New Master Plan.

    This information was given by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Employment, Shri Ram Jethmalani in a written reply to a question from Shri Janeshwar Misra in the Rajya Sabha today.
 
 

    This information was given by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Employment, Shri Ram Jethmalani in a written reply to a question from Shri Ghufran Azam in the Rajya Sabha today.
 
 

    The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has reported that after the allotment of flat is made it takes around 7 to 11 months for taking over physical possession at the site by the allottee as detailed below:

    Deposit of demanded amount by the allottee 2 to 4 months; Deposit of Conveyance Deed by the allottee 1 to 2 months; Issue of possession letter by the DDA on completion of the formalities 1 to 2 months and Permitted time for taking physical possession by the allottee 3 months at site.

    There is also provision to extend the above-stated time limit on the specific request of the allottee subject to their fulfilling certain laid down terms and conditions. Allotment of flats is a continuous process and flats remain unoccupied for some months after the allotment due to the above reasons. In certain cases flats also remain unoccupied due to non-availability of electricity and water. Therefore, the exact number of allotted flats which are yet to be occupied by the allottees varies from day to day.

    Regular review meetings are held at the level of Lt. Governor for effective coordination with Delhi Vidyut Board and Delhi Jal Board.

    This information was given by the Minister for Affairs and Employment, Shri Ram Jethmalani in a written reply to a question from Smt. Kamala Sinha in the Rajya Sabha today.
 
 

    The World Bank aid is being obtained to improve drinking water supply in some States. The States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the recipients of World Bank aid for the Hyderabad Water Supply and Sanitation. Mumbai Sewage Disposal and II Chennai Water Supply Projects respectively.
 

    This information was given by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Employment, Shri Ram Jethmalani in a written reply to a question from Shri Ananta Sethi in the Rajya Sabha today.
 
 

 The National Housing and Habitat Policy states that Planning of Urban Transport is to be an integral Urban master Plan.

    Feasibility study for Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) for Delhi was completed in 1990; Preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) was then taken up; Simultaneously, approval in principle, of the Union Cabinet to take up this project was obtained in 1994, DPR was finalized in May, 1995; Investment approval for Phase-I of the Project was accorded by the Union Government in September, 1996. It comprises an Under-ground Metro Corridor (from Central Sectt. to Delhli Vishva Vidyalaya) 11 kms; two Surfaces/Elevated rail corridors one from Shahadara to Nangloi (25 kms) and the other from Pulbangesh to Holambi Kalan (19.3 kms.). The total cost of this project is estimated at Rs. 4860 crore at April'96 prices.

    Since the traffic between Delhi and National Capital region moves through several rail and road links, interchange facilities have been planned at the stations of full MRTS.

    The Phase-1 of the MRTS Project is to be completed by March, 2005. However, the construction of surface/elevated rail corridor from Shahadara to Tis Hazari has already commenced and is targeted to be completed by March, 2002.
 

    This information was given by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Employment, Shri Ram Jethmalani in a written reply to a question from S/Shri Akhilesh Das and A. Parmar in the Rajya Sabha today.
 
 
 

    The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has said, there is need for the Centre and the States to draw some conclusions from the recent experiences on the price front and take appropriate corrective actions. Some of the steps, he suggested include, revamping of Cabinet Committee on Prices, reviewing Essential Commodities' Act, setting up a special cell under Cabinet Secretariat to monitor prices, establishing National Crop Forecasting Centre at the earliest and a nationwide programme to encourage establishment of cost effective cold storages. He was speaking at the Chief Ministers' Conference to review the price situation, here today.

    The Prime Minister described rising prices as a national problem and stressed the need for cooperation and sharing of responsibilities between the Centre and the State governments for tackling price rise. Politicisation of issue should be avoided, he added.

    Stating that the main reason for the recent spurt in prices is unfavorable weather, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to shift focus to medium and long-term strategies for the better management of prices of essential commodities. He also underlined the need for common approach by the Centre and the States in the areas of production, supply, distribution and export-import management of agriculture produce.

    The following is the text of the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speech on the occasion :

    "On behalf of the Government of India I extend a very cordial welcome to the Chief Ministers and other representatives from the States and Union Territories who have made it convenient to attend this important meeting at short notice.

    There has been a steep increase in the prices of certain essential commodities in the last few months. This has affected all sections of society, but particularly the poor and middle class families. At the outset, I would like to state that this conference expresses its empathy and concern for the people who have suffered hardships because of this problem.

    The problem of price rise in India cannot be isolated from the problems in agriculture, agriculture markets, consumer markets, and the administration. It is a problem that simultaneously affects both the housewife and the farmer. Whenever there is a steep price rise, it makes a hole in the expenditure budget of the consumer family and punctures the income expectations of the producer family.

    Rising prices is a national problem. It needs to be tackled by both the Centre and the State Governments - separately as well as jointly. While an objective analysis of the problem is no doubt necessary for its proper comprehension and resolution, politicization of the issue should be avoided. The spirit of cooperation and sharing of responsibility alone can help us evolve effective long-term, medium-term, and immediate strategies to stabilize and reduce prices of essential commodities. I am sure we will conduct the proceedings of this conference in this constructive spirit.

    My government has accorded the highest priority to ensuring adequate supplies of essential commodities as well as keeping their prices within reasonable limits. Towards this end, a series of meetings have been held. Recently, the Cabinet Secretary had convened a meeting of the Chief Secretaries of States/Union Territories to review the price situation and also to evolve an Action Plan for curbing the rise in the prices of essential commodities as well as increasing the supplies of these commodities in different parts of the country. The Plan has already been sent to you for further action. I am sure that the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations have come prepared to discuss the implementation of the Plan.

    The main reason for the recent spurt in prices was the weather. Agricultural crops - particularly of onions, potatoes, edible oilseeds and pulses - have been hit by bad weather including heavy and unseasonal rains, severe cold, extreme heat in some areas, and floods. This was worsened by some of the long-term infirmities in the production, supply, and distribution chains.

    On account of the low unit price of the agriculture products, even a small shortfall in supplies causes large price fluctuations. And the market structure responds to this reality in a manner detrimental to the consumers' interest.

    I would not like to substantiate this point, since the Agenda Papers circulated to you, do precisely that, with the help of figures about the shortfalls in demand and supply of a few selected essential commodities. What needs to be noted, however, is that there have been large regional variations in the price rise. The onion prices in Delhi and some other cities registered much sharper increases than cities in the South.

    I must dwell here briefly on onion prices. The unprecedented weather conditions leading to sharp supply shortages is the reason for shortage of onions. Arrivals of fresh supplies was also greatly delayed by the continued spell of unpredictable weather. It could have made a difference if the decision to place onion under the Open General License with zero import duty, coupled with arrangements for speedy imports, had been taken somewhat earlier.

    The prices of other essential commodities like rice, wheat, sugar, tea and salt have shown a normal trend. In view of the comfortable stock position of these commodities, their prices are expected to rule easy in the coming months. As a precaution, however, the Government has decided to release 40 lakh tones of wheat to the State Governments for open sale at the rates fixed separately for different zones in the country.

    Several State Governments have intervened in the market to ease the price situation. Market intervention operations, however, have their limitations, with which all of us are all too familiar. They must be resorted to, only if the need is urgent and acute. When well-managed, they do produce desired results and bring some relief to harried consumers. However, neither the Centre nor the State Governments can bear the financial and administrative cost to sustain them for too long and for a range of commodities.

    We should, therefore, shift our focus to such medium-term and long-term strategies as would better manage prices of essential commodities. There are four broad areas where the Centre and the States should together evolve a common approach. They are : production, supply, distribution, and export-import management of agricultural produce.

    It is obvious, but still bears emphasis, that we will not be able to gain a lasting control over the price situation unless we vastly increase production of all the essential commodities. This point is also important from the point of view of guaranteeing Food Security to our growing population.

    Take, for example, pulses. This nutritionally important food item, the main source of proteins to the poor and the middle class Indian family, is today unaffordable to most Indians. The production of pulses has not made any significant headway during the last several years and has been fluctuating between 12 to 14 million tons a year. The per capita availability of pulses has declined from 69 grams per day in 1961 to 35 grams per day in 1998 - which is a warning signal.

    Similarly, the annual demand for vegetables and fruits, which was earlier growing by around three percent a year, is now growing at a rate of over five percent. The production of edible oilseeds during the year 1997-98 has declined to 222 lakh tons from 250 lakh tons in 1996-97. At the same time, the consumption of edible oils including vanaspati, which had been stagnating at around 3.8 kg per person until 1980-81, increased to 7 kg per person in 1995-96. Reflected in these figures is the growing numbers of new consumers.

    These illustrative figures prove that, unless we greatly and quickly raise agricultural productivity, we will have recurring incidents of scarcities and price spurts in the coming years.

    As important as production is how well we manage supply and distribution. A solution to the problem of large-scale wastage of agricultural produce brooks no delay. Expansion and modernization of the rural infrastructure - consisting of roads, transportation facilities, warehouses, mandis, and the complete cold storage chain - must receive our attention on a priority basis. In this context, I think that the considerable sums that both the Centre and the State Governments earmark for rural and agriculture development under various schemes should be so integrated as to achieve tangible improvement in the rural infrastructure.

    A major area of concern for all of us in the supply and distribution of essential commodities is the exploitative role of middlemen. This was evident even in the recent spurt in prices - the difference between wholesale and retail prices of onion, potatoes, pulses and edible oils was sometimes in the 200 per cent to 300 per cent band.

    The worst irony is that increased purchase price for the consumer does not mean better sale price for the farmer. Prices of agriculture produce often fluctuate so wildly from year to year due to market manipulations by middlemen, that sustainable crop planning becomes a near impossibility. The recent agitation of groundnut growers in Karnataka is a case in point.

    There is, therefore, an urgent need to protect the Indian farmer from the vagaries of the monsoon, and free both the farmer and the consumer from the clutches of unscrupulous middlemen. How to succeed in this struggle is a collective challenge to all the governments and political parties in India.

    On the distribution front, improvement in the working of the PDS network, with active participation by the people, is an urgent necessity. In this context, I would urge those States that have achieved some success in this sphere to share their experience with others.

    There is also great merit in the supply and distribution strategy suggested by some experts-namely, to forge collaborations between farmer cooperatives and marketing cooperatives in contiguous urban-rural areas, so as to obtain benefits for both the primary producer and the consumer. We should encourage institutions like the NDDB and State-level cooperative market federations to move in this direction.

    Our policy on export and import of agriculture produce needs stability and continuity. There will, of course, be occasions when the Government has to ban exports and resort to imports, as part of market intervention operations to bring immediate relief to consumers. However, in general, it should be obvious that India cannot depend on imports to meet our needs. Similarly, our export efforts to increase our share of the global market for agriculture produce should remain uninterrupted.

    In conclusion, I wish to say that we need to draw some conclusions from the recent experience on the price front and take appropriate corrective action. I suggest that some of the steps, which we need to consider, should conclude :

• Early establishment of the National Crop Forecasting Centre. This has been under consideration by the Ministry of Agriculture for some time but action on this needs to be completed expeditiously. We should make full use of the satellite-based remote sensing capabilities of the Department of Space and the computer network set up by the National Informatics Centre covering all the districts.
• A review of the Essential Commodities Act with a view to examining how State Governments can be empowered for effective action against those who hoard and those who cause artificial shortages, and engage in trade malpractices in respect of not only foodgrains, but also items of mass consumption like vegetables, onions, and potatoes. I am constituting a Group of Officials under the Cabinet Secretary to make suitable recommendations both on the amendment of the Act and on the steps needed to improve our enforcement mechanism.
• I propose to re-structure the Cabinet Committee on Prices and make it more functional for enabling timely and monthly reviews on prices to be made and ensuring timely corrective action. The Chief Ministers may consider setting up suitable committees in their respective States.
• A special cell would be set up under the Cabinet Secretariat to monitor and analyse price data and trends of essential commodities. It would also service the Cabinet Committees on Prices
• We should undertake a nationwide programme to encourage establishment of efficient and cost-effective cold storages to minimise the high percentage of waste, coupled with a related programme to develop food processing industries.

    Thank you."
 
 

    The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has stressed the Government's vision of connecting every village to the global information and communication network. For this purpose, he also emphasised the need for private sector participation in providing rural telephony. He sought solutions for strengthening the Department of Telecommunications in order to successfully face the increasing competition in coming years. He was addressing the first Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Communications here today.

    Underlining the importance of communication and information revolution, Mr. Vajpayee called for creating a modern nationwide telecommunication infrastructure at the earliest for making India an information technology superpower.

    He spoke about the mandate of high-powered Group on Telecommunications under the chairmanship of Shri Jaswant Singh. The Group will recommend ways to strengthen TRAI, resolve problems of license fee structure and fast proliferation of telecom services. The Group will recommend the Government on formulation of new telecom policy to address the emerging demands and challenges of the IT requirements and revolution.

    The following is the text of the Prime Minister's speech on the occasion:

    "I welcome all of you to the first meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Communications.

    We are in the midst of an information and communication revolution. This revolution is bringing about fundamental changes in every aspect of life at the national and international levels. It has also opened the prospect of India emerging as an Information Technology superpower. This prospect will become a reality only if we create a modern, nationwide telecommunications infrastructure at the earliest.

    Telecommunications is also, by itself, an accelerator of economic growth. The telephone is no longer a luxury, but an indispensable tool in every conceivable economic activity. For example, the large network of STD/ISD booths established by the Department of Telecommunications in a short span - and we can see these booths even in small towns today - has immensely benefited small entrepreneurs and the common person. Experts have calculated that a one percent increase in telephone density results in a three percent increase in GDP.

    As you would make out from the agenda notes, this information and communication revolution has, unfortunately, largely bypassed rural India. The National Telecom Policy of 1994 had envisaged universal access and availability of basic telecom services on demand. We are way behind achievement of this objective. The failure is most glaring in meeting the target of at least one Village Public Telephone (VPT) for each of the six lakh villages in the country.

    More than half of these six lakh villages still do not have even a single telephone line, not to mention other sophisticated forms of communications. Moreover, the telephone density in such of the villages, which do have a connection, is very low.

    This should be a matter of concern for all of us. My Government will not allow the rural-urban divide to get further widened because of failures in policy and implementation to meet our goals in rural telephony. My vision is to see every Indian village connected with the Global Village that is being created by the information and communication revolution.

    The failure in the area of rural telephony cannot be seen in isolation from the flaws in the National Telecom Policy of 1994 and its implementation. Today everybody recognizes that the reforms in the telecom sector, particularly relating to investment in basic and cellular services by private operators, have failed. This has not only adversely affected the general economy, but it has also considerably slowed the spread of telecom services in rural areas.

    The country cannot, therefore, afford any further delay in resolving the many problems in the telecom sector, which my Government has inherited from the past. As I have stated on several occasions, we have both the political will and the competence to unravel these knots in the most transparent manner. In doing so, we will be guided solely by national interests, to which all other sectoral interests must become subordinate.

    As a first step, we have created a high-powered Group on Telecommunications under the chairmanship of Shri Jaswant Singh. It has been mandated to recommend to the Government on the following :

• To create a strong, independent, and credible regulatory framework by strengthening the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
• To resolve all issues in the telecom sector, including the license fee structure for basic and cellular operators, to ensure fastest proliferation of telecom services in India, including in rural areas. As I have stated before, the Government will take suitable action in this matter before the end of the year.
• To formulate a new National Telecom Policy to address, among other things, the revolutionary phenomenon of the convergence of telecom, IT, media and consumer electronics. This suggests that we may have to create a common policy and regulatory framework for telecom, broadcast, cable, Internet, and other aspects of convergence. All this will require the evolution and implementation of a rational Spectrum Policy based on best international experience.

    The solution must, among other things, address the national objective of rural telephony. We cannot expect the DoT alone to undertake this important social obligation. Private operators will have to share this responsibility and meet their targets speedily. There is also a need to use many different technologies simultaneously - especially wireless - to ensure cost-effective and rapid spread of telephones in villages and hilly areas.

    The solution must also result in further strengthening the Department of Telecommunications in order to successfully face the increasing competition in the coming years. There are many examples in the world where State-owned telecom organisations, after imaginative restructuring, have become major players both domestically and in global markets.

    I am confident that the Honorable Members will make many useful suggestions on all these matters.

    Thank you."
 
 

    The one-day consultants meeting on radioisotope applications will be inaugurated by the Director of BARC, Dr. Anil Kakodkar. It is being organised by the Consultancy Development Centre , New Delhi in cooperation with the National Association for Applications of Radio Isotopes and radiation in industry. It will be addressed by experts from BARC, UDCT, Mumbai, IIT Delhi and DRDO among others.

    India is already a leader in the use of radioisotopes as tracers and sealed radiation sources for industrial troubleshooting and process control.
 
 

    Following is the text of the Prime Minister's speech :

    "I am pleased to be here at the inaugural session of the India Economic Summit, organised by the World Economic Forum and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

    Friends, your conference is taking place at an extraordinary moment in India's democratic history. Whatever is happening now is a sign of the vibrancy of Indian democracy. However, I would like to assure you that volatility in Indian politics will have no fundamental impact on the process of economic reforms in the country.

    The reform process has become irreversible. Indeed, my Government has depoliticized the economic agenda.

    Your summits in the past have fostered constructive interaction between foreign and Indian business and with the Government. They have also facilitated foreign business becoming familiar with India's efforts both to carry out internal liberalization and to integrate itself with the global economy.

    Since you met here a year ago a number of new and decisive steps have been taken by my Government to strengthen our economic fundamentals and improve the productive efficiency of our system. In the schedule of your meetings over the next few days you would be interacting with some members of my Cabinet, some distinguished businessmen, economists and senior government functionaries. They would outline for you not only what has been achieved during this period but share their vision of the economic agenda for the coming months.

    Over the last nine months my Government has taken important initiatives over a wide gamut of economic issues which cover insurance, capital markets, information technology, housing and infrastructure, to mention a few. The reform process initiated is wider and deeper than any comparable program earlier. The multiplier effect would have long-term beneficial impact on the economic and social development of India.

    We also take some pride and satisfaction that, given the turmoil in the rest of Asia and many other parts of the world, our macro-economic fundamentals continue to be strong. They create new opportunities for private investment both domestic and foreign. A GDP growth of well over 5 per cent, inflation below the double digit number, comfortable foreign exchange reserves, positive growth in agriculture, stable exchange rate management coupled with sectoral initiatives, have reaffirmed the Government's commitment to a policy of liberalisation with suitable checks and balances.

    I have said so earlier and would reiterate today that there is no panacea or a role model to bring about high rates of economic growth coupled with social development. Each country has to devise a strategy that is appropriate to address its own problems and serve its growth objectives.

    Discussions are going on within the Bretton Woods institutions, the United Nations and other forums for a reform of the global economic architecture. We will participate constructively in this dialogue so that the emerging reform process can durably address the malaise that has adversely effected many countries.

    Such a reform process should help in the evolution of a new financial architecture based on transparency, symmetry of obligations, equity, effective management in the face of rapid flow of large sums of capital around the world, and orderly development of world trade for the common good of mankind. Poverty alleviation must remain the central objective of international action.

    We recognize that globalization is both a reality and an opportunity. We are convinced that nations cannot prosper in isolation and must forge complementary relationships based on mutuality of interests. India is committed to the continuation of its policy of liberalization coupled with effective social safety nets. We will also pursue policies to maximize the gains from the opportunities which globalization offers, while ensuring that credible mechanisms are in place to mitigate the risks that are inherent in this process.

    Our aim is to be a strong nation, so as to be able to live in peace, prosperity, and dignity. We recognize, however, that the strength of a nation flows primarily from the strength of its economy.

    Whatever we do to strengthen our national economy, we will do it in a manner that will simultaneously strengthen the democratic polity of India; whatever we do to strengthen the democratic polity, we shall simultaneously strengthen the secular unity of India; and whatever we do to strengthen our democratic polity and secular polity, we will bear in mind the need at all times to dramatically reduce poverty in the shortest possible time.

    In this endeavour, our approach is the same as that advocated by Prof. Amartya Sen, the great Indian economist who won this year's Nobel Prize for Economics-namely, liberalization and globalization yes, but with a credible program to improve the social sector.

    Many of our initiatives in the social sector are aimed at providing nutrition, hygiene, health, and education to those large numbers of our population who continue to be the victims of poverty.

    India is a democratic country. Democracy id our greatest strength. Freedom of though, freedom of action, freedom to live with diverse faiths and customs are fundamental to our culture. I believe that these are essential components of liberalization and globalization.

    We have another great strength. We have an unbroken record of honoring all our financial obligations to foreign investors and lenders. We have a sound legal system that incorporates many of the canons of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence.

    In a vast country like ours, with a population of a billion, with a middle class nearing the size of Europe, there are unlimited opportunities for foreign investment and management.

    I hope your meeting will comprehensively take these strengths into account and discuss India's legitimate claims on international investments. It will not be out of place for your summit to discuss, in terms of figures and specific sectors and projects, what amounts of foreign investment should flow into India over the next fifteen years or so, and how such investments could be mutually beneficial.

    We believe that domestic savings need to be augmented and supplemented by external resources to achieve high rates of economic growth. Access to high technology dramatically improves the productivity and efficiency of investment. Foreign investment has an important contribution to make in this process.

    My Government has created a new and growing opportunity for investments in infrastructure, especially in power, ports, airports, roads, telecom, information technology, in the services sector, and in insurance. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board has been functioning ever more actively and has approved a large number of FDI proposals. We would like to make India an attractive destination for foreign investment - both foreign direct investment and foreign institutional investment.

    We recognize that given the global shortage of capital, nations must compete in creating a milieu that attracts foreign investment. India would be second to none in establishing a transparent framework in which such investment can flourish.

    Friends, for us in India, right from the early nineties, when excessive Government controls on business and industry began to be eased, liberalization has meant a steady but sure approach, consistent with our concern to preserve social stability and democratic polity. I agree with you that the pace of change needs to be - and can be - faster. I assure you that my Government will act a lot faster, and firmer, on our economic agenda in the coming months.

    Let me now outline my Government's medium-term economic agenda. In preparing India to face the challenges of full liberalization and globalization, my Government will create policies that will :

• Achieve an annual GDP growth rate of 7-8 percent through a strategy that ensures low inflation and high employment generation.
• Strengthen the financial and banking sectors by introducing transparency, accountability, and non-interference by the Government.
• Rein in the fiscal deficit through a combination of measures like expenditure control and increased revenue buoyancy.
• Productivity restructure our public-sector enterprises.

• Address infrastructure constraints, and promote Information Technology as a high priority.
• Ensure sustainable agricultural growth and create widespread rural prosperity by encouraging massive private investments in agriculture and agro-processing industry.
• Increase domestic savings to 30 percent of GDP.
• Encourage high long-term export growth and increase India's share of world trade. Also to strengthen our negotiating skills in settling trade disputes and representing our interests in trade construction.
• Massively generate employment through the small-scale industries, village, and khadi industries, and housing construction.
• Strengthen social sectors like health and education.
• Create a milieu that can catalyze large flows of foreign and NRI investment in our priority areas on a sustained basis.
• Create strategies to strengthen the popular support base for economic reforms, especially at the State level by ensuring that the fruits of economic development reach the common man.

    Before concluding, let me, once again, reiterate what I said at the outset. Do not be overly influenced by the democratic drama of the day. Look at the inherent strengths of India and the huge opportunities it offers for mutual benefit. These opportunities will grow irrespective of political vagaries.

    I wish your conference a big success.

    Thank you.
 
 

    In Physics it has gone to Dr. Sriram Ramaswamy, Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for his outstanding contribution in Soft Condensed Matter Physics which comprises several systems such as Colloids, Membranes, Foams, Polymeric Fluids, Liquid Crystals, etc.

    In Biology Dr. Jayant B. Udgaonkar, Associate Professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, for his outstanding contribution in using small Protein barstar as an archetypal model protein and studying its folding pathways employing the tools of protein engineering and physical biochemistry.

    In the field of Chemistry it has gone to Dr. Goutam Kumar Lahiri, Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai for his contribution in various aspects of Inorganic Chemistry, especially on the novel interactions of the metal-ions with the organic molecules. Dr. Sambasivarao Kotha, Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai for his outstanding contribution in developing new and novel methods for the preparation of Alpha Amino Acids (AAA) and Polycyclic compounds.

    The awards were announced by the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, Dr. K. Kasturirangan at Bangalore today. Dr. Kasturirangan is also the Chairman of the B.M. Birla Science Prizes Board.

    The awards carry Rs.50,000 in cash in each field and are given to young Indian scientists below 40 years, who have made outstanding original contribution in their fields. The objective is to encourage uncompromising excellence and to recognise the contributions of such scientists while encouraging others to achieve even higher standards of excellence. The awards have been instituted by the B.M. Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad, which is a premier institution in the dissemination of science in the country.
 
 

The All India Consumer Price Index Number for October, 1997 had increased by 4 point.

    The Rise/Fall in the index varies from centre to centre. In 68 centres the increase in index was noticed between 1 to 39 points, and in 2 centres it recorded a fall of 3 points each when compared to previous month.

    The index in respect of six main centres for October, 1998 stood at the following level:-

        1.                     Ahmedabad                 433

        2.                     Bangalore                     400

        3.                     Calcutta                         454

        4.                     Chennai                         440

        5.                     Delhi                             489

        6.                     Mumbai                         473

    The point to point rate of inflation, based upon the CPI-IW has increased from 16.3% in September, 1998, to 18.6% in October, 1998. In October, 1997 it was 5.5%.
 
 

    Government of India is actively considering launching of mission for rural housing in the Rural areas of the country to dramatically improve the quantitative and qualitative aspects of housing scenario in rural areas. This was announced by Union Minister of the State for Rural Areas & Employment(IC), Shri Baba Gouda Patil at the on going "All India Conference on Housing: The Challenges and the Solutions" at Vigyan Bhawan. He said that the efforts of the Government have been inadequate to either directly provide and finance housing for India’s houseless or to facilitate the economic forces which will make housing more accessible to the houseless. He said that in the wake of the global strategy for shelter to all by the year 2000, the Government is realising that it should become a facilitator on a bigger scale rather than provider in the field of housing.

    He said that Government can facilitate the spurt in housing activities by providing land, institutional finance on affordable and acceptable terms and ensuring the adequacy and quality of infrastructure like schools, drinking water, sanitation and providing opportunities for employment generation. He said that as per the Ministry’s estimates, the rural housing gap will be in the vicinity of 12.6 million units by 2000 A.D. Keeping in view the magnitude of the gap, it is necessary to evolve adequate institutionalised mechanism to provide housing finance in rural areas. While HFIs (Housing Finance Institutions) such as HUDCO and NHB have done well and are doing a great service in the rural areas, the outreach is far too fragile and inadequate. A national apex institution for rural housing, distinct from the existing ones which are primarily meant for urban housing and infrastructure finance, is very much relevant for the rural areas as well as the requirements for rural areas are distinguishable from those of urban housing.

    Minister said that the National Housing and Habitat Policy announced earlier this year would be the basis of launching of a "Mission for Rural Housing" which would incorporate all the institutional financing, technological and infrastructural aspects of rural housing in the country.