By Unni Krishnan
NEW DELHI, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The World Bank does not expect
India to become a donor to its fund for poor nations for now as
the country has the responsibility to improve the lives of its
own 210 million poor, its president said on Saturday.
Discussions are underway about replenishing the
International Development Association (IDA) -- the lending arm
of the World Bank -- and about how much each of the members
should put in to ensure it can make loans to poorer countries.
"Many people in (the) United States and Europe and Japan see
pictures of India with all the growth in information technology
but it is also important for people to recognise that there are
a lot of poor people in India," Robert Zoellick told reporters.
"I don't want to overstate India's responsibility in terms
of financing others ... But over 10-15 years as India grows
there will be more opportunities to help and that is where we
should look to go for in the future."
India has been one of the most vocal emerging countries,
pushing for changes in the International Monetary Fund,
reflecting the rising economic strength of the developing world.
Zoellick said growth in Asia's third-largest economy had
been quite impressive but the government should improve roads,
ports and airports to sustain the momentum.
India has grown at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent in
the past four years, which has also choked its infrastructure.
"India has had exceptional progressive growth. In areas that
might need some further development, one is infrastructure and
the other is growth of skills," Zoellick said.
With India set for another year of 8 percent growth,
employers ranging from technology firms to financial service
providers are complaining of talent shortages, rising vacancies
and rapidly rising wages.
The World Bank says the world's second fastest growing major
economy will need 2.3 million highly trained professionals by
2010 to maintain its share of the knowledge economy.
If standards don't improve, it could face a shortfall of
500,000 workers.
Zoellick said he had discussed the issue of climate change
with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and on how India could
help in global efforts to cut down emissions.
There have been tensions between developed and poorer
industrialising nations over who should bear the burden over
emissions, seen by scientists as vital to slow global warming
and effects such as floods, droughts and rising sea levels.
"I talked with the prime minister yesterday about the
base-line plan. And some work we can do globally on the issue of
climate change. I think a number of developing countries are
supportive but what they don't want is objection of traditional
development," he said.
((Reporting by Unni Krishnan; editing by N.Ananthanarayanan;
Reuters Messaging: [email protected];
+91-11-4178-1012))
Keywords: INDIA WORLDBANK/