NGOs prepare to block WEF Asia-Pacific summit
International activists urged Australians yesterday to join a blockade of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Asia Pacific Economic Summit in Melbourne this week to protest against the power of international corporations. A loose group of anti-corporate advocates aim to shut down the three-day summit beginning today, hoping as many as …
Dam oustees to be allotted lands
The State Water Resources Minister, Mr Ramachandra Singhdeo, has said the State Government has decided to make arrangements for allocating lands in advance to the farmers whose lands get submerged due to the irrigation projects.
Urgent relief needed for India's poor
World Bank : The World Bank has sounded a grim warning that the poverty reduction process in India has slowed down in the 1990s and the poorer states will not see much improvement in this respect even with higher growth rates. This was said in the bank's 'Global Economic Prospects …
Delegates debate poverty, no West Asia breakthrough
The biggest gathering of world leaders in history grappled on Wednesday with ways to improve peacekeeping and reduce poverty in the 21st century and got a chilling reminder of the perils of UN missions in crisis spots.
IMF chief concedes errors of past
Conceding that the International Monetary Fund has made mistakes in the past, the IMF's new head promised to unveil reform proposals during the IMF's annual meetings next month in Prague. Horst Kohler, IMF managing director, said his efforts would be directed at focussing the fund on its core duties of …
UN gets vote of confidence in a world wary of ideals
World leaders wound up a historic three-day Millennium Summit with a strong endorsement of the United Nations that proposed increasing it role in peacekeeping and seeking solutions to the whole range of social and economic problems in the new century.
Study supports critics of Siemens dam project
Critics of the German move to provide export insurance guarantees for the controversial Maheshwari dam project in central India, in which the German multinational Siemens as involved, received a shot in the arm following a study that highlights the project's allegedly negative social repercussions on the indigenous population.
APEC takes modest steps towards new WTO round
Pacific Rim countries on Wednesday called for global consensus to launch a new roundof world trade talks as soon as possible and took modest steps to assist developing countries and electronic comemrce in the region.
WB to fund projects only in reform-friendly states
It might become even more difficult for some states to avoid economic reforms now. The World Bank has evolved a new methodology for financing projects in India, under which a project will be funded only if the state, where the project is located, is in sound financial health. Under this …
Decline in poverty
study: The First India Rural Development Report released today indicates a decline in poverty in percentage terms, but says the absolute number of poor, more or less, has remained static (due to population growth of 2.2 per cent per annum).
Haryana, HP top in infrastructure development
The India Rural Development Report, 1999, presented by the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) has depicted several regional disparities in development and poverty alleviation. In terms of social development index and infrastructure development index, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are at the top.
US earmarks $5m to back Indian reforms
US president Bill Clinton has allocated five million dollars for economic reforms and liberalisation in India besides funds for several welfare schemes in his fiscal 2001 budget. The amount for India is "contingent on progress in our dialogue with India" and is part of 20 million dollars Clinton has provided …
WB team assess poverty initiative project
A team of World Bank is on visit in Madhya Pradesh to have a pre-assessment for the proposed district Poverty Initiative Project in Madhya Pradesh. The project would cover the socially and economically backward districts.
India's record in providing scope to poor improves
Though India has the highest number of people below the poverty line, the Human Development Report for South Asia indicates the country's 'poverty of opportunity', defined as lack of access to education, health, employment, sanitation and produtive resources, is on the decline.
