Date:04/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020452850500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

STEP towards tribal empowerment

Santosh Patnaik

Replication of EU-funded project in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan likely

EU buoyed by success in Andhra Pradesh
It is funding Euro 65 million annually to India

VISAKHAPATNAM: The European Union is likely to replicate the CARE-Sustainable Tribal Empowerment Programme (STEP) in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Etienne Claeye, Minister Counsellor, Head of Operations, Delegation of European Commission to India, Bhutan and Nepal, who recently visited Narsipatnam, Chintapalle and Paderu to find out feedback on EU-funded Euro 13 million CARE-STEP in north Andhra and East Godavari, said they would take a decision on replication of Andhra experiment after evaluation and documentation of the project.

The Secretary of Tribal Welfare, Gujarat, had led a team sometime ago to study implementation of sustainable livelihood project in parts of coastal area and indicated that they would be replicating it in their State.

Mr. Claye said improvement in the livelihood conditions of tribals of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari had pepped up their spirit to take up more projects for improving the quality of life of the neglected communities.

Annual funding

He told The Hindu in an interview that the EU was funding Euro 65 million annually to the Indian Government through various projects to bridge the urban-rural divide and improve livelihood conditions. “India is on top of our agenda,” he remarked.

The cooperation includes in health, civil aviation, trade, education, energy, environment and other sectors. Five laboratories were set up recently with EU funds for testing products like seafood to boost exports to Europe by complying with various international parameters.

“It’s a wide spectrum of cooperation. For instance, recently, we have decided to offer scholarships to 300 to 400 Indians for pursuing masters degree in education, health, biotechnology, energy etc,” he disclosed.

Exchange programme

EU is a political and economic community of 27 member-countries with supranational intergovernmental features.

Mr. Claeye said under Erasmus Mundus programme, Indian universities would have tie-up with three European universities and the sponsored students would be allowed to study in three institutes at various countries during the course.

The programme is aimed at ensuring top quality masters courses to enhance visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third world and developing countries.

EU funds the nationals of member-countries as well as non-European countries with which it has collaboration. As per millennium goals, they would also introduce a teachers exchange programme during the current year.