Date:17/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/17/stories/2005031702501700.htm

Back Jamshedpur in UN global compact cities

Our Bureau

Kolkata , March 16

THE city of Jamshedpur, developed and managed by Tata Steel, has been chosen as the first South Asian city to join the select band of six cities in the world for the United Nations Global Compact Cities Pilot programme. The other five cities are Melbourne Porto Algegre (Brazil), Tianjin (China), Nairobi and San Francisco.

The award has come at a time when Tata Steel is commemorating the death centenary of its founder J.N. Tata and celebrating the birth centenaries of J.R.D. Tata and Naval Tata. The project will be launched after receiving due approval from the Jharkhand Government. The State Government also needs to give its consent for participation in the project which is based on partnership among the local government, civil society and business corporations.

Talking to Business Line, the Tata Steel Deputy Managing Director (corporate services), Mr. A N Singh, said that the project was expected to develop innovative solutions to address some intractable social, economic and environmental issues related to urban development.

Describing the development as a rare honour for a city managed by Steel Company, Mr Singh said, ``Tata Steel's commitment towards corporate social responsibility is management leadership driven. In the coming years, we are committed to bring more professionalism with greater participation and involvement of other industries as well as our own employees at all levels to retain our organisation's benchmark status as a Corporate Citizen.''

The global compact cities pilot programme aims at handling pressing urban problems such as shortage of potable water, crumbling infrastructure, food and shelter, deteriorating health services and others on the one hand and issues related to human rights, labour standards and environment on the other.

As per the pilot programme each city will determine the nature and scope of its own project. Once the pilot programme is completed by 2006, the UN Global Compact will determine the viability of the programme as an effective means for urban development.