The Hindu Business Line : Corporates must invest in HR, says PM

FOR QUALITY MANPOWER: Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, and Mr R.K. Krishna Kumar, Chairman, Governing Board, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, at the 66th Annual Convocation of the Institute in Mumbai on Saturday.

Mumbai , May 6

More business houses should invest in the development of human resources, just as they invest in making their firms more globally competitive, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said extolling the house of Tatas for their initiatives in education and research in the country.

While laying the foundation stone for the Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management (JTCDM) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) here, Dr Singh said improving the quality of manpower in government programmes is a major challenge facing the nation today. An equally important challenge is to improve the quality of management of the non-government sector.

JTCDM was inaugurated at the institute's 66th annual convocation. It is being set up with an initial contribution of Rs 11 crore from the Jamsetji Tata Trust.

Doctorate conferred

TISS also conferred the degree of doctor of literature on renowned social worker Mr Murlidhar `Baba' Amte and Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, in the presence of the Prime Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr R.K. Krishna Kumar, Chairperson, Governing Board, TISS, said that JTCDM would address the dearth of effective disaster management systems and professionals in the country. For the initial period of five years, JTCDM is expected to be intensively engaged in a range of activities, specifically research and training on several core aspects to strengthen State and non-governmental disaster management bodies.

Towards this end, TISS and the National Institute of Disaster Management (GOI, Ministry of Home Affairs) have signed a MoU to promote research, publications, training and other policy initiatives in the fields of disaster preparedness, response and management.

Warning systems

JTCDM will help develop advance-warning systems to dealing with natural disasters and institutionalise a process to capture the learning of the past experiences, Mr Tata said on the sidelines of the function. "Towards this end, the Tatas are happy to collaborate and work with government agencies and other civic bodies for effective disaster intervention,'' he said.

Silent protest

Adding a piquant note to the occasion was the silent protest by a `Narmada Bachao' volunteer, holding a banner reading `Development or Destruction'. Soon after the vote of thanks the protestor was escorted out of the premises.

Others present at the occasion, included, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, Maharashtra Chief Minister, and Mr S.M. Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra.

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