The Hindu Business Line : Demo by slum dwellers at global conference venue

THE Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram's one-day tour of Mumbai ended with a demonstration by a slum dwellers' organisation, led by social activist Ms Medha Patkar, outside the Taj Mahal Hotel..

Mr S.M. Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra, and Mr Chidambaram were addressing the inaugural session of an international conference on `Urban Renewal: Learnings for Mumbai'.

Ms Patkar, who was denied an audience with the Minister, said that decisions about Mumbai that affect millions of slum dwellers cannot be taken inside the sanitised confines of a five-star hotel.

Earlier, speaking at the conference, Mr Chidambaram said that per capita consumption of water, electricity and other public services are disproportionately high among the rich. Consequently, they would have to pay more user charges for these services. "Poverty in India will take on an urban face. Poverty reduction should not be seen as an add-on programme," he added.

Problems of urbanisation are felt more acutely by economically challenged sections of the society. The future of urban India hinges on answers to basic question of `how much can urban India sustain?, said Mr Krishna.

Referring to labour reforms, Mr Michael Carter, Country Director, India, The World Bank, said that it is shocking that only 8 per cent of India's population was registered in the formal sector.

World Bank's focus is on infrastructure, micro-finance, rural livelihood, human development and education, he added.

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