Chan Mahanta
Tue, 02 May 2006 08:42:03 -0700
> Are they meddling in Assam's politics or something like that? Are they dictating that the money must be spent their way or else?
A lot of the angst seems to be that there are "strings" attached - like accountability, and paying back the loan
as stipulated and initially agreed upon. -:)
--Ram
On 5/2/06, Dilip/Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
If you want to see a list of Projects ADB sponsored in India, visit http://www.adb.org/Projects/approvals.asp?query=&browse=1&ctry=IND&year=ALL&offset=0&fld=2&srt=-1.I haven't quite figured out why there is outrage against ADB. ADB is a lending institution. Are they meddling in Assam's politics or something like that? Are they dictating that the money must be spent their way or else?From ADB publications it appears they want to help reduce poverty in Asia through economic development, a noble cause. Where have they gone wrong?Dilip
Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote:
Hi C'da,It seems to be all quiet on the Ozark front lately -:)>** So what do you think are the motives of these riff-raff and ne'er-do-gooders for bad-mouthing ADB?As I said before, the ADB doesn't seem to have a great track record. Nevertheless, its a huge organization and the focus ought to be in getting the best out of it. Seeing some of the posts on ADB, it does seem that they have problems. But as Umesh pointed out, one could well focus what the org can do constructively and those that are questionable could be looked into in all seriousness.I think it was a couple of years ago, that the ADB gave a huge funds (in million of $) to Assam for separation of its power grids. Then the papers (if you believe them) said that there was absolutely no trace of the money (accountability) - it just vanished into thin air.>Anti-progress, anti-development luddites ?Actually, for some it could be just that. For some, existence of such paranoia seems symptomatic - it came from the ADB or GOI or whatever, so it must be bad. -:)IMHO, each of ADB's project should be looked into in isolation, if its good, why oppose it.--Ram
On 5/2/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote:
Hi Ram:
>One can't just throw the baby with the bathwater every time there is a sniffle
** Isn't that the truth?
** So what do you think are the motives of these riff-raff and ne'er-do-gooders for bad-mouthing ADB?
Ignorant?Just like to draw attention to themselves by creating an issue wherenone exist?Anti national?Anti-progress, anti-development luddites ?Leftists and commies?Well-meaning lumpens deprived of wisdoms earned from those temples ofhigh knowledge like IITs,IIMs,Harvard etc.?Shallow populists looking for cheap publicity?
Did I give you enough choices? Let me know if you need some more.
c-da :-)
At 9:43 PM -0500 5/1/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
Umesh,
I think you made some very valid points. Your point on supporting at least some of the projects that the ADB has been doing (not controversial and positive) is a valid one and that could well be the focus.
One can't just throw the baby with the bathwater every time there is a sniffle :)
However, I don't particularly hold the ADB high up on a pedestal. In the past, I have read some reports that its track record is chequered at best.
I know, Dr. Jayanta Madhab was with the ADB for quite a while, and hear that there is another Assamese gentleman high up in the pike at the ADB. I am not sure if either of these gentlemen were successful/instrumental in garnering sizeable funds/aid for India in general and for Assam/NE in particular.
Maybe someone who knows will educate the netters about ADB's success stories as far as Assam is concerned.
--Ram da
On 5/1/06, umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
C-da,
First of all you wrote asking for what good ADB has done so I listed out their projects:
C-da wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"*** Why don't you educate us about what you know about the good done by ADB, something obviously all these riff-raff calling for its boycott must not know?
Or should we accept your slogan just because you say so?"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now you ask are these projects any good. The question you seem to pose is that why are all these people opposing while Pradip Datta and you seem to be in favor of ADB (or World Bank).
My reply would be what are the possible developmental projects which would have no visible (negative) side effects -- so that atleast such projects should be supported (or allowed to continue) by these opponents. About the other projects which do indeed have negative side effects (such as displacement of people due to dam construction etc) we can deal with separately.
Now there some some rpojects running in Assam/NE India by ADB which seem to have no negative side effects : such as urban development, road construction, integrated flood and river bank erosion, trade and investment creation initiative.
The only one which seems to have negative sideffects is the power generation prooject which might be due to hydel power necessitating dam construction leading to displacement of people living in the region where the artificial lake would be thus created.
So what is the problem in letting ADB run those other projects. If one has any objection about dam construction -- then raise that issue only. For analogy: why demand that the patient be killed - just becos just one of her body fuctions is not working? So if one of ADB 's one kind of project might be contentious why close down other beneficial ones?
ADB does not engage in education improvement - unlike World Bank . Education reform can have no visible side effect at all (except a chance of bias in favor of dominant group getting better education) -- but noone getting thrown out of their homes or livelihood under threat. Similarly, about improvement of health and transportation, communication services - no side effects. Similarly for agribusiness development , clean fuel project , housing finance etc . I am looking at : http://www.adb.org/Documents/Profiles/default.asp?key=ctry&val=P PTA&scpe=12
Asking for shutting down of ADB would be saying like India should stop being a democracy and vote for dictatorship just becos it is not functioning as well as in USA/UK and other developed nations.
Your views are welcome.
Umesh
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi Umesh,
So what is that YOU know, but all these people who oppose it don't?
BTW, even I am able to go to google to dig up all kind of stuff. But that was not what I was asking for.
c-da
At 2:14 AM +0100 5/1/06, umesh sharma wrote:
C-da,
Here is a list of projects undertaken by ADB -recently - in India -- in each category there are many for Assam/NE India -- such as for power generation, roads and infrastructure development:
http://www.adb.org/Documents/Profiles/default.asp?key=ctry&val=P PTA&scpe=12
(from the above link here are the ones for NE India )
Preparing the Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Management Project
North-East Power Development Project
Assam Power Sector Development Project
Preparing the Northeastern States Trade & Investment Creation Initiative (earlier listed as REG 37407-01)
Preparing the Assam Governance and Public Resource Management Program
North Eastern States Roads
North East Region Urban Development (Phase II)
North Eastern Region Urban Development
For the evaluation of their impact or that of earlier projects - see
http://www.adb.org/Evaluation/reports.asp?s=3&ctry=12
http://www.adb.org/Projects/reports.asp?key=ctry&val=PCR&scp e=12
Regards.
Umesh
PS: People like you are useful to question the usefulness of ADB , WB etc in development of the region -- however, boycott serves what purpose -- only that of the corrupt politicians to further their cause of making money without accountability of how they spend the money for the projects.
However, besides civil society involvement World Bank and ADb etc have a built in projkect evaluation component -- which is ongoing (formative) as well as summative (post ) -- which increasees the pverall cost by 10-15% for the project but ensures effective implementaion of the project.
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
At 7:43 PM -0700 4/29/06, Pradip Kumar Datta wrote:
We should not boycot ADB. ADB helped north east in various ways and still it is funding big infrastructure projects in the north east.
Long Live ADB
*** Why don't you educate us about what you know about the good done by ADB, something obviously all these riff-raff calling for its boycott must not know?
Or should we accept your slogan just because you say so?
umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Why this protest? ADB is like World Bank - which atleast in education (I read) helped improve Indian education over the past decade atleast.
How has ADB become like this when it seeks to provide 200 million dollars to NE India for raod construction?
Umesh
"River Basin Friends(NE)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote:
Please distribute widely ? to friends, media and listservs.
Call for May 5 2006 as Global Day of Protest against ADB!
We are the Peoples? Forum against ADB (PFAADB), an alliance of 97 social movements, struggle groups and NGOs from across Asia.
We write to you from the city of Hyderabad in India where thousands are beginning to converge to protest the Asian Development Banks 39th AGM (3-6 May 2006). As we issue this appeal to our friends across the globe, hundreds of activists from remote areas in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and from Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu, Jharkand, Kerala, West Bengal, Rajastan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are on buses and trains on route to this city. Groups from Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Burma have already joined us. In Hyderabad, street corner meetings have begun to convey our message to the people.
The Peoples? Forum is calling on all people?s movements and civil society groups to observe 5 May 2006 as the Global Day of Protest against the Asian Development Bank, when ADB Governors will officially inaugurate the Annual Meeting.
Every year, ADB moves huge amounts of money across the Asia-Pacific region in a bid to foster rapid economic growth and market capitalism. Despite its name and stated intentions, the ADB does not serve to alleviate poverty. Instead, it advances capitalist and corporate interests, serves the will of powerful countries such as Japan and U.S. and other expansionist nations, and excludes poor and marginalised peoples from control over their resources. It is an undemocratic, non-transparent and unaccountable institution.
Join us!
On May 5, we will be taking out a massive march and protest against the ADB in Hyderabad, India. For those of you unable to join us here in Hyderabad, you can show your solidarity and worldwide opposition to the ADB by holding various actions in your own states, provinces, cities, towns, taluks and villages.
You can
- Hold a protest demonstration
- Submit a memorandum to the local, regional and national government
- Submit a memorandum to the local ADB office/ project office
- Raise slogans
- Send us a solidarity message
Some of the slogans that you can use:
ADB: HANDS OFF
Our Water, Our Health, Our Forests
Our Livelihood, Our Environment, Our Culture
ADB QUIT INDIA! QUIT ASIA!
SHUTDOWN THE BANK
ADB: 40 YEARS IS ENOUGH
Please get in touch with us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for any information. You can download posters and read more about us at www.asianpeoplesforum.net
River Basin Friends
AKAJAN
District-Dhemaji.787059.
Assam. India
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