FM' S MEETING WITH WORLD BANK PRESIDENT
The Union Finance
Minister Shri Jaswant Singh had a meeting with the World Bank
President Mr. Wolfesohn in Washington, USA, yesterday.
The World Bank President
assessed India’s economic development positively and said that
India was a critical player in global development.
Discussions focused
on the fiscal situation, the need to intensify cooperation in
primary education, increase investment in infrastructure development
in India and strengthen civil society relationships.
The Finance Minister
welcomed the cooperation of the Bank and reiterated that, within
the dynamic federal structure of the Indian system of governance
Government was giving top priority to primary education. He said
that there was growing public demand for schools in rural areas
and both the Government and civil society organizations were working
together in this field.
The World Bank President
said that the Bank was keen to provide greater support to the
Government’s programme for universalizing primary education.
The Minister apprised
the World Bank President of the fiscal situation emphasizing that
industrial production and exports had shown encouraging growth
and inflation was under control. However, he said that Government
was aware of the need to lower fiscal deficit and improve the
investment climate in the country. In particular, the Government
was considering steps to further raise the level of domestic savings.
