The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Attempts to stall industrial projects decried

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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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Attempts to stall industrial projects decried

Staff Reporter

Orissa will continue to be poorest State in such a scenario, says Lalit Mansingh

Nuke deal is in country’s interest, he says
Nalco celebrates foundation day

BHUBANESWAR: The former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Lalit Mansingh, on Monday favoured signing the nuclear deal, which he said would be in the country’s interests.

Delivering the Nalco Foundation Day lecture on ‘Emergence of India in global perspective’, Mr. Mansingh said the deal would not only enable India to source nuclear material from over 35 countries but also strengthen strategic ties with the U.S.

“It is necessary to cement good relationship with the US because it has 54 per cent of the world’s invested resources and it is creator of 45 per cent of high technologies,” he said. He said though global financial adviser Goldman predicted that India’s GDP would surpass that of the U.S. by 2050, America would continue to be a superpower for the next 100 or 200 years.

“Economic growth is a must for a country to get recognised as global player. But there has to be political stability and consensus within the establishment to be a superpower,” Mr. Mansingh said, replying to questions from the audience.

The former Indian Foreign Secretary, who also hails from Orissa, criticised the attempts to stall industrial projects for the sake of opposing industries. “We will continue to be the poorest state in the country if we let the industrial boom slip out of our hands. Care should be taken to give proper compensation to the project affected people and at the same time the government should ensure industries do not go away this time,” Mr. Mansingh said.

Feted

The former Indian hockey captain, Dilip Tirkey, who was represented by his sister Jyoti Tirkey, and noted sand sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik were felicitated with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each at Nalco Nagar Auditorium here to commemorate the foundation day.

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