CITU urges Orissa not to take DFID help

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR, DEC. 23. The Orissa unit of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has urged the Orissa Government to stop taking help from the U.K. Government's Department for International Development (DFID) in its efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the financial position of the State.

Addressing presspersons here today, Mr. Shivaji Patnaik, CITU Orissa unit general secretary and former Lok Sabha MP, said the draft strategy prepared by the DFID for Orissa only endorsed the World Bank's view on economic reforms and liberalisation. The CITU had decided not to give its opinion on the draft strategy as sought by the DFID.

Referring to the DFID's assertion that it had been associated with Orissa for the past 20 years, Mr. Patnaik said the paper prepared by the organisation did not say how poverty had increased during this period in spite of its association with the State.

Observing that the number of people below poverty line had increased during the past 10 years, Mr. Patnaik pointed out that the draft strategy had no suggestion for land reforms and distribution of land among the landless.

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Section  : Other States
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