Friday, August 22, 2008

India refuses to accept WB terms for SSA loan

22 Aug 2008, 0238 hrs IST, Akshaya Mukul,TNN

NEW DELHI: The recent $600 million (Rs 2,400 crore) World Bank loan for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, that has come after nearly one-and-a-half years of negotiations, is among the rare examples of India refusing to let the Bank micromanage flagship programmes and inflict its highly centralized system on the country.

Officials of department of economic affairs said this negotiation should become a template for future loans for other flagship programmes. Negotiations for the loan, taken entirely on Indian terms, started in January 2007, went through several low phases and by last December, matters came to a head and it looked as if loan agreement would not happen.


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