PM focuses on aam aadmi programme

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a crucial intervention for what was termed as the 8220;social development strategy for IBSA8221; ...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a crucial intervention for what was termed as the 8220;social development strategy for IBSA8221; at the second trilateral summit of the IBSA India, Brazil and South Africa countries, hosted by President Mbeki of South Africa on Wednesday and attended by President Lula d8217; Silva of Brazil.

Calling upon all three countries to 8220;bring to the table what they can based on their real life experiences8221; as 8220;pluralistic democracies, developing economies and aspiration for rapid economic growth,8221; Singh unfolded his government8217;s elaborate aam aadmi policy programme. Succinctly put across as an eight-point proposal, which could go a distance if adopted by the other two countries, he said it was relevant for both Brazil and South Africa as they were facing similar challenges in a globalising world.

Predictably, 8220;rapid economic growth8221; topped his list as a priority, so it can 8220;generate the necessary resources for investing in social development8221;. He spent some time elucidating how 8220;inclusivity8221; was an imperative to assist economic growth. Emphasising 8220;human resource development8221;, 8220;focus on equitable infrastructure8221;, 8220;short-term distress mitigation8221;, 8220;grassroots institution building8221;, 8220;environmentally sound strategies8221;, and finally 8220;integrating into the knowledge economy8221;, with 8220;conscious efforts to ensure that all sections are in a position to participate in this transition8221;, Singh was almost recapping the UPA8217;s economic agenda, and how he hopes to weld high growth rates to feasible politics, that makes growth rate figures relevant to the aam aadmi.

The PM urged IBSA countries to increase the intra-country trade to 30 billion by 2012, upping the initial 8220;modest8221; target of 10 billion by 2012. Calling for more public-private partnerships to help governments to shoulder the burden of achieving the goals, he urged all seven working groups set up by IBSA to 8220;complete at least one cycle of meetings in each of our countries8221;. So far, only the groups on ICT and Trade and Investment have met thrice.

Another important set of discussions going on are India8217;s discussions for Free Trade Agreements with regional trading groups in Africa SACU and Mercosur in South America, something that is believed can give a huge push to trading ties between all three countries. The next IBSA Summit is scheduled to be held in India next year.

What Brazil, SA do for their aam aadmi

8226; Bolsa Familia: The 8220;cash transfer8221; programme was initiated in 2003 by President Lula d8217; Silva for eight million poor families. The poor families are given money for sending their children to school as well as to support their health needs. While Brazil may not be able to boast about its growth rates, Lula has been commended for his success in reducing inequalities.