Take up cause of poor, Pvt sector told

Former Prime Minister VP Singh today said private sector should open training institutes for weaker sections and absorb the best among them to fulfil the responsibilities of providing due representation to backward communities in the sector.

"Private sector cannot shun responsibilities towards weaker sections, now that it is shouldering the responsibilities of the state in several areas due to privatisation," Singh told reporters here.

He, however, acknowledged the concern of private sector that quality has to be maintained to meet increasing global competitions.

"Their apprehensions are there, but the question is how to amalgamate both quality and responsibility", Singh said and suggested the idea of opening up training institutes.

"They (weaker sections) have capacity but require training to express themselves to potential," Singh said. He said private sector cannot generalise by saying that introducing reservations in private sector would affect efficiency.

"This way you are condemning the entire nation since the weaker sections constitute over 80 percent of the population. And you cannot do that," Singh said.

The former prime minister pointed out that even the US, which is the "Pope of capitalism", has affirmative action for the Blacks, and even the state maintains pressure on providing due representation to them.

Observing that slum dwellers contribute in a big way in the economic activities in urban areas, Singh today said a national slum policy should be formulated to deliver justice to them.

"They (slum dwellers) help us work and also contribute in various activities. It is, therefore, essential that we should share resources with them," Singh said.

Commenting on the crisis that had emerged after the Supreme Court asked Delhi Government to evict manufacturing units out of Delhi, he said, "You first don't leave space for them in the plan and then cry."

According to him, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was supposed to set up 30 industrial estates in Delhi, 16 in the city and 14 in rural areas.

Singh said the Supreme Court first asked the DDA to make changes in the master plan, but the previous NDA government did not act, prompting the apex court to direct evictions. Singh also criticised the DDA and said that the institution needs to be democratised.

He thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for fulfilling the aspirations of nearly 1.25 lakh industries and about 20 lakh labourers dependent on them.

Terming Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's new formula on Kashmir as "important", former Prime Minister VP Singh today said it "indicates that the neighbouring country's rhetoric on plebiscite and LOC has become old now."