Poverty alleviation mission soon

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 2. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said that the Government will shortly formulate a poverty alleviation scheme harnessing the benefits of information technology for the purpose. A poverty alleviation mission, as promised in the Telugu Desam manifesto, is to be set up soon.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, who addressed a press meet here on Wednesday, took pains to underscore the point that regardless of his obsession with information technology and other state-of-the- art practices, his basic concern was for the uplift of the poor. Information technology was only a tool to achieve the objective.

Mr. Naidu returned after a `highly satisfying and successful' six-day visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum summit at the Swiss resort. He met the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, the World Bank president, Mr. James Wolfensohn, the Microsoft chief, Mr. Bill Gates, and a host of world leaders, top representatives of business, industry, technology and finance, besides chairing some important sessions and attending others.

He said Davos was an excellent platform for exchange of ideas and to cultivate or renew contacts. It was more important, he thought, for developing nations than developed countries.

The Chief Minister said he had met Mr. Wolfensohn on his proposal to promote pervasive use of IT for e-Government, distance education and health. The World Bank chief had invited him to Washington for further discussion on the project.

Mr. Naidu sought collaborative participation and assistance of the Bill Gates Foundation in the areas of health and distance education. He explained that the Gates Foundation awarded $5 millions for PATH (Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health) for commercial development of Ultra Rice, a rice product fortified with iodine, iron, vitamin A etc. Another Gates Foundation aimed at `dramatic reductions' in the dreaded diseases such as malaria, AIDS, polio, TB etc. and promoting telemedicine. Mr. Gates promised to depute a Microsoft executive to liaise with the AP Government for working out a blueprint.

The Swiss Minister for Economy, Mr. Pascal Couchepin, would be coming to Hyderabad on February 18 as head of a trade delegation. He also discussed areas of mutual cooperation with Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo, Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry.

Asked if the World Bank was `happy' with his reforms, Mr. Naidu snapped: ``The reforms are for us, not for the World Bank''.

Summing up the visit, the Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh got a great exposure at Davos.

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