Date:31/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/03/31/stories/2006033104230900.htm

Back UNIDO chief for sops to boost pro-poor growth

Our Bureau

South-South centre in India set up

Fostering growth
Creating wealth vital for eradicating poverty.
Wealth must be created through small and medium enterprises.
Smart public-private partnerships need to be evolved in rural areas.

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY: Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Director-General of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Mr Kamal Nath, in the Capital on Thursday. - Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , March 30

The Director-General of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr Kandeh K. Yumkella, announced the establishment of a South-South Cooperation Centre in India for the purpose of helping the poor. The centre would have links with Brazil, Russia and China and work in developing countries to use the experience of these countries in spreading the benefits of industrial development to the poor.

While speaking at a meeting organised by industry chamber FICCI, Dr Yumkella said that poverty could not be eradicated without creating wealth. "This wealth must be created through small and medium enterprises, developing supply chains and linkage with the local level," he said.

According to the UNIDO chief, all this would require incentives and a package of measures to establish pro-poor growth strategies, promote labour intensive strategies and products, support trade capacity building and raise productivity.

Smart public-private partnerships need to be evolved in rural areas where the public sector takes the lead and a package on investments and incentives worked out to enable the private sector to play its rightful role, he said.

Secretary to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Dr Ajay Dua, sought UNIDO's assistance in developing competitiveness in India's manufacturing sector for garnering a greater share in international trade.

Earlier in the day, the UNIDO chief called on Industry and Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, at his office.