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Friday, April 4th, 2008
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New Delhi, April 2nd India’s fiscal deficit is a significant increase in the Sixth Committee recommends pay about 40% more in the entire Pay-employed by the central government and the government decided to set aside Rs 60,000 crore as a farmer debt relief.
Expenditure for individual budget items, such as oil and losses on borrowings of public electricity companies are excluded. Moreover, if the deficit in the country, governments, the impact would be greater. According to a report by the ADB, isolate domestic prices of the rise in international prices also need additional funding in the budget this year.
These factors are not only obstacle to fiscal consolidation, but also a public debt, which represents about 80% of GDP, among the highest in the world. ADB pointed out the debt service bruises financial flexibility, which is essential for public investment in infrastructure. Expenditure on interest are the projected increase of 11% in 2007-08 and just over 30% of the total turnover of income.
In particular, it is the lat full budget before the Lok Sabha investigations be held in 2009. There was a populist attitude for expenditures on health, education and rural infrastructure, which is also in conformity with the plan of the 11 th integrated strategy for growth. Although the consolidation of public finances, the strategy so far by a growth of turnover led to the quality of expenditure can be questioned, the report added.
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Friday, April 4th, 2008
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Kerala has shown a model by setting up a Debt Relief Farmer powers of the Commission, to find solutions that could be implemented. This type of exercise can at the national level, so that farmers in trouble, which can be identified and assisted on a system this time.
In a presentation to the amazing resilience, it is the denial of entry in urban areas in India to accept that the agricultural sector needs help to be learnt from the crisis, by intimidating the prejudices of the policy Government in the year. It is now routine, despite reporting on the terrible state of India agriculture, and the dominance of the agricultural crisis and widespread agriculture acute distress. The loan is for the waiver at least now, the government may need to start the healing process the agricultural sector.
The real challenge is how to use PayPal. 60,000 crore waiver. It can not be regarded as an end in itself. In addition, farmers are problems to be solved with only amortization of the loan. The loan is only a denial of early, which allows farmers to obtain loans for worthy. The farmer can be ready, once again growing plants. It is here that an intervention is needed careful, so that the cycle of indebtedness will not be repeated.
Creative Link intervention deserves credit, farmers directly to agriculture, many of the systems that were announced for an increase in agricultural productivity. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana with a budget of Rs 25000 crore is only a plan, which is allocated to agriculture, which, in this case, particularly with a view to bridging the gap between the actual performance of the genetic potential of different cultures and that the farmer fact.
The agricultural budget, with its battery to waive loans of Rs 60000 crore has overshadowed all other aspects of the 2008 budget. The urban middle class seems exasperated! Commentators have churned out meinend pieces, such as the Indian economy had suffered a setback because they do not bear the burden of these massive cushion. The same group of people do not have one thing to say, if the government habit of writing the failure of the application in industry or in several crores throw Pay commissions to the bureaucracy. But let the government spend a little money for farmers and hell broke lose.
In a presentation to the amazing resilience, it is the denial of entry in urban areas in India to accept that the agricultural sector needs help to be learnt from the crisis, by intimidating the prejudices of the policy Government in the year. It is now routine, despite reporting on the terrible state of India agriculture, and the dominance of the agricultural crisis and widespread agriculture acute distress. The loan is for the waiver at least now, the government may need to start the healing process the agricultural sector. It must be clear that farmers do not have that background image, because the work can not shirk or manage farms. Whether they continue in the production of food in these strict conditions and poor is nothing less than a miracle. Let yourself once again that the present crisis in agriculture is the result of the unjust policy of exploiting and in the hand by successive generations, by bureaucrats and politicians in this country.
Despite resentment of the money spent on the farmer and relief about discontent in political circles, it can not be a car Rollback would be morally and ethically indefensible. It would also mean suicide for some, the government in an election year. It’s free money found on revenue of a booming economy, have earned investing in loans and depreciation. Crores of Rs 50000 was designed for farmers who have less than two hectares of land and mitigation of 25 percent, on loans contracted by farmers landholdings larger than that. Given that the budget rules should be determined by parliamentary bodies in the cavity again before Parliament, to correct the agriculture budget is undoubtedly be proposed. It is, for example, the recognition that the overall limit of two hectares of land, to be eligible for emergency assistance would not be fair. Larger operating surfaces of rain in relation to the right to be fed, the landfill, because productivity is much lower in comparison with the barani areas irrigated conditions.
Another problem is valid discussed is how to help the large number of farmers, retailers of private money in debt. A mechanism must be found for them. Kerala has shown a model by setting up a Debt Relief Farmer powers of the Commission, to find solutions that could be implemented. This type of exercise can at the national level, so that farmers in trouble, which can be identified and assisted on a system this time. State Agriculture Departments, agriculture universities, Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI), and NGOs should be brought together to get the job done at the district level. The private debt cash dispensers should be negotiated and worked out a compromise formula for a final settlement. The government owes money to address this problem too.
At the bank to exercise depreciation and institutional loans, great vigilance must be exercised to ensure that the depreciation is not used in fat cat farmers, grapes and sugar in Maharashtra. There should be a monitoring and control citizens, the Committee, including a sentry to watch where the money goes to the waiver of loan. If one considers that a high level of corruption and the routine from internal resources of the State by persons who are not on the beneficiaries must be an enormous effort to make sure that the “business - as-usual “in the method of operation is not a waiver of illegitimate pockets. One of the best mechanisms for monitoring transparency. All banks should be required to publish in local newspapers and daily newspapers supra, the details of farmers whose loans will be amortized.
But the real challenge is how to use PayPal. 60,000 crore waiver. It can not be regarded as an end in itself. In addition, farmers are problems to be solved with only amortization of the loan. The loan is only a denial of early, which allows farmers to obtain loans for worthy. The farmer can be ready, once again growing plants. It is here that an intervention is needed careful, so that the cycle of indebtedness will not be repeated. A system developed, managed at the local level and with the help of public services in the constellation of agriculture, agricultural universities, institutions of Panchayati Raj (PRI), and non-governmental organizations can help farmers access to lending institutions specially designed for accessing critical agriculture inputs necessary for the revival of productivity. This could be of good quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, the loan can be used to create jobs, water for irrigation, a second harvest in different cultures, rain fed. If necessary, new lines of credit can be used to buy livestock or develop, poultry or fish farm incomes for additional off.
Creative Link intervention deserves credit, farmers directly to agriculture, many of the systems that were announced for an increase in agricultural productivity. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana with a budget of Rs 25000 crore is only a plan, which is allocated to agriculture, which, in this case, particularly with a view to bridging the gap between the actual performance of the genetic potential of different cultures and that the farmer fact. In the case of millets, for example, the difference between the yield potential of varieties in the territory, and what the farmer is to receive nearly 300 percent. Here, the triplets are the right firm. There are many other systems, such as the National Food Security mission, the National Horticultural Mission and the National Fisheries Development Board. All allocations of several thousand crores, which can be used for farmers, individuals indebted to money lenders. The National Commission for farmers had recommended an interest rate of four per cent for loans to agriculture. Maybe the small farmers indebted to money for distributors loan interest rate of two per cent until they resume their financial base.
This could also be a good time to try to correct some of the other things that have already problems of agriculture, for example, about the dependence on wheat, rice, turnover in the agricultural sector of surplus producing areas. This had the consequence that the dependence on the public distribution system on wheat and rice, continues to expand many traditional cereals in the human food chain or basket. While small and marginal farmers, care and financial incentives to build grain, the relevance of the action of local food preferences, as millets like ragi, jowar and bajra and legumes such as consultation , offices and arhar, then longer be regarded as an objective can be achieved. Release of the estimated four peasants crore of the debt must be, in agriculture, productivity increases. It is only then that the waiver a creator of the landfill. M.S. Swaminathan felt that, pursuant to be used, the new credit rating of farmers should be an additional 50 million tonnes of grain per year, foodstuffs. The Finance Minister has rightly stressed the need to evaluate the performance of investment in the budget. The production has increased by 50 million tons a year, should result from screen to the budget required for the lifting of the loan.
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Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
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LONDON, April 2 (APP) - The influential British daily Financial Times reported that the United Nations International development aid and debt relief for Afghanistan was launched in doubt, the country ‘ not in the spotlight, which has an agreement with the International Monetary Fund and warnings that their three year for the development of the master plan could be denied.
According to the document, the Afghan Finance Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady last week to all donors admitted that the government had failed him, a target agreed with the IMF, to increase by $ 715m and taxation . With only 8.2% of gross domestic product, the goal of economists was described as “ambitious”.
At the same time, the paper said that the World Bank and other donors have said that the government, that the latest draft of the Afghan National Development Strategy, a document in which the future funding of relief and the debt is linked, is so poor that they Rejected, if in its present form.
Kabul’s failure to comply with the objective of tax revenue, and the risk that it is not possible to reach a development strategy have serious consequences for the future financing and the international $ 10.6bn cancellation debt, it currently enjoys by the IMF-backed Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.
The government has nearly three years of planning and development, at least 15 million dollars from donors to support its preparation. Western observers in Kabul have kaustische on the issues it as “the most expensive worldwide to the strategy of poverty reduction”.
The document has been criticized, because they are heavy, with the specifics and without freedom of assembly, market principles with more uncomfortable statistical goals.
The World Bank said, the plan has not yet been rejected, and I saw that we on the complete document - but that the weather was a little less.
A Ministry of Finance, the team took over the project in an attempt to implement a document before a donors’ conference in Paris in June, if the international community expects that the future course of their duty .
The hope was that the situation would be the use of existing as a strategy document for the basis of future donations.
Under the terms of the agreement with the IMF, in Afghanistan must be a strategy to reduce poverty that has enveloped in its National Development Strategy - acceptable to the Fund.
At the same time, in Afghanistan must comply with other obligations, including a gradual increase in the tax, in order to reduce dependence on aid.
Ahady donors in Kabul, said last week that the government below the target of $ 715m above $ 50 because the political turmoil in neighbouring countries, Pakistan reduced turnover customs on imports Afghanistan.
But members of the international community, have raised the issue of the declaration. An IMF team with a visit this month, it is necessary to decide if he was guilty, in Kabul, and may recommend that Afghanistan is debt relief stripped facility.
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Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
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The latest revelation of how was N1.9 trillion difficult to be performed in the context of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the government is in fact a nasty shock.
First, its disposal to corrupt practices and frequency of anti-corruption authorities during his tenure privately. NURUDEEN ALAO QASIM is of the opinion that President Yar’Adua had a choice between protecting the public interest or risk the future of his government ..
Real, democratic practice is based on the well-being, happiness and security of citizens in a certain community. When General Obasanjo was elected president in 1999, there were expectations that the new democratic order employers would be in a better life for Nigerians. The former president has been very favourable conditions for them, including a $ 18 billion debt remission, the phenomenal increase in turnover and enormous both inside and outside goodwill.
Unfortunately, however, the former president of bousillé that unique opportunity to improve our lives and the future more secure. Our initial enthusiasm, who welcomed his election, has turned to despair, frustration, anger and disappointment. During the year 2001, Africa, the former CNN correspondent Jeff Koinange from Nigeria were deported after the release of a new report in which some Nigerians frankly, they preferred military so-called Rule of democratic management of former President Obasanjo, who asked her Conditions deteriorating steadily.
The poor, the CNN journalist has been widely condemned as an enemy of “democracy” and attempts, the causes of discontent among citizens, even if it does not agree with the view of the Nigerian citizens, he expressed divergent views. It did not last long, many Nigerians, and admit that the Patriotic vertigo, which was crucified Koinange excessive and wrong. Eight years after the iron fist management of former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Niger, worse still, as regards the standard of living.
Hit Our foreign exchange reserves of over 50 billion dollars, under Obasanjo, and with a debt forgiveness of $ 18 billion from the United States, former President Obasanjo had no reason not lead to high revenue available to his government. With more than 18 billion United States dollars debt relief, Nigeria has not had more than 50 percent of their annual budget for debt servicing, diverted enormous resources for the social services sector. But despite this generosity Clubs of Paris and London, the $ 18 billion debt relief has not significantly improved social services sector. Worse, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are nowhere in Nigeria and advisers of the Presidency for this project, Amina Ibrahim publicly acknowledged, the country at the slow progress in this regard.
Indeed, former President Obasanjo had no excuse for failure. His fight against corruption was a crusade, public funds to ensure they were not distracted by crooks, to the detriment of national development and welfare. Many Nigerians had thought that he was innocent Obasanjo frankly on the fight against corruption crusade. But now, Nigerians know better, we are wiser than ever. Under Obasanjo, corruption has several culprits of the same offence. In other words, while some corrupt officials have been arrested and brought to justice for the prosecution, in the good books of the former president were rewarded with legal protection by the choice in the positions they can get immunity.
They can not fight corruption, in which some white-collar criminals to wear a crown, and other cross for the same offence! With current shocking revelations of the House of Representatives regarding the $ 16 billion purportedly spent in the energy sector, former President Obasanjo lost all credibility, about his commitment to the fight against corruption.
His two former ministers Power and Steel, Segun Agagu and Liyel Imoke, at the present time by the governors Cross River and Ondo or United, said Nigerians can be found, if it appear before the commission, who say that the power sector followed the scandal contracts One trial. Your unscrupulous lies were dismantled by the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (now Managing Director of the World Bank), and former director of the Budget and monitoring prices Intelligence Unit, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, also vice-president of the World Bank for Africa.
In her testimony, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged that the projects are not a trial, because the certification of former President Obasanjo grants them a waiver of the demand for electricity and steel, former Prime Minister, Mr. Liyel Imoke.
To add more shocks, the former office manager of the Due Process, “said Ezekwesili not a project, but urgently, it is necessary to assess the franchise’s core certification process. She says that while they are still able, they would have called for the lifting of Imoke.
If there is no intent to deceive Nigeria, why should the former president and his accomplices relinquish power to matters of contracts? Sixteen billion is not a joke, and what is the Gospel’s Obasanjo on transparency? The power sector is a scandal tip of the iceberg, since any investigation of the NNPC to bring more land can be against the former Head of State, the NNPC ran as a personal property, the allocation of oil blocks according to their whims and caprices. He has resisted all attempts in the past by the National Assembly for the implementation of control functions in the activities of the NNPC.
At the end of the gene Sani Abacha, the rehabilitation projects for railways, we see the results, but former President Obasanjo arrested, damaging projects for private reasons, to go back on Abacha, even in the death! Strangely, at the end of his tenure, he led projects for Deutsche Bahn to rehabilitation checks prices 7.8 billion United States dollars, but the project is still on the earth increases.
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Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
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Bills multiply to the point where they fear that opening your mailbox. If you only have your creditors is your fault.
Sometimes they are - but also your money, the problems will not disappear.
Abandoned debt, in many cases as a result - of income. And if a believer forgives of thousands of dollars in debt, you can find, basically, she proposed a tax bill.
And that’s not the only consequence. The debt can be attributed increase your income to the point where you are unsure of certain tax deductions and credits, or a portion of your social security benefits taxed, “said Bob Scharin, senior analyst at Thomson taxes Tax & Accounting.
Of course, once the creditors of the debt, you can discharge a financial rescuer. And this is not interrupted all the debts in question. Congress last year in response to the mortgage Subprime chaos, temporarily exempted relatively large sum of the mortgage debt assigned by the tax. Similarly, you will not be taxed debts cancelled in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency.
Still, a tax bill is not what many expect that the debt will be cleared.
“People are certainly first shocked,” said Robin McKinney, director of the Maryland CASH campaign, which will help low-income taxpayers’ returns. McKinney, she says the number of cases of collision with a car loan. Cars are accepted The balance of loans eliminated, but consumers receive a form that taxes owed thousands of dollars in debt.
“Some people have even said,” If I knew was, it was a response, perhaps hardest, I tried to refinance the loan, “she says.
Credit Card bills are one of the species most attributed to the debt - and it is taxable.
Scharin is a forum in which a consumer due $ 21270 on his credit card in 2004. The issuer, MBNA America Bank, has agreed to accept more than $ 4600 for the payment of the debt. But this proposal, consumers taxes on the payment of $ 16670. He argued that the settlement was a retroactive reduction of its interest rates and repayment, the principal. A taxpayer, the Court decided this month against him.
Home mortgage debt is another area where many try to bargain in relief. Given the increasing number of Rechtsausschließungen a congress temporary tax reduction for those whose debt is extinguished case.
Under the new law, you do not have to pay taxes of up to $ 2 million allocated to a debt principal residence. All debt extinguished on a second home is still subject to the tax.
If the bank gives you at home lending capital is used to make substantial improvements at home, this will not be taxed, either, “says Scharin. But when it comes to home equity lending has been for other reasons, say, buy a car, then the debt is attributed to taxation.
This tax reduction is temporary. It is a mortgage debt during the past year and spend by 2009.
Students can also take a break. Many forgiveness of student loan programs are available, if the borrowers in areas of work needed, such as nursing or teaching, under the doctoral thesis. This debt relief will not be taxed, Scharin said.
Steve Hannan, director of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition said the negotiating position of the debt “is a good thing, but you should know, the tax consequences. It advises consumers in writing, for each city and to find out if the creditor notifies reporting agencies, debt is assigned.
“It does nothing, if the debt was assigned, but nobody knows,” he says.
Keep all documents proving the guilt has been assigned in the case of an obligation to collection in the future to come together, it tries again, “he says. (Readers may recall a column in the past year, I wrote about some consumers is expelled from “zombie debt,” old debts that have been rewarded for years, but it has risen by a payment of debt collectors demanding.)
Since, for the documents, if you have $ 600 or more, the debt cancelled, you will receive a cancellation of debt, or C-1099, for tax purposes. (600 1040)
The IRS wants to pay taxes on a pay-as-you-go “basis, Mr. McKinney. When it seems that if you have a large part of the taxes due on past debt, you must pay taxes on Estimated or run the risk of taking a penalty later, “she said.
Even if you do not have the money to pay the tax bill, you mentioned the establishment of a payment with the IRS, “she says.
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Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
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The World Bank and IMF to fight the global dialogue on “odious” and debt financing to monitor the failed in their vulture funds have, since, and draw his feet on the alleviation of the debt to Haiti and Liberia.
The World Bank published the draft report on the “odious” debt (defined as knowingly credit to a despotic power and not to interfere with the enjoyment of its population) in September 2007 (see Update 57). While the report acknowledged that “the objective analysis of irregular transactions and thought, that the lender knew of the use of resources,” there was no agreement on the fact that this is a good way classify public debt, there were still shall not constitute recommendations with regard to the odious debt.
Militants of the debt has been approved by the Bank in response to this document. It is not known what their reaction goals, and if the two sides were in dialogue on how to move the process forward. A round table is planned for the spring meeting of IMF-World Bank meeting in Washington in April.
During the discussions on debt heinous threw a glance back at the “lender” past practices, the question remains how to ensure that such behaviour in the future. Brussels-based network Eurodad has established for this purpose by the establishment of a charter for the financing charge, attempted hijacking of the institution or branch of responses to concerns about the granting of credit and the right solution to the debt crises in the direction of “internationally accepted legal standards of good lending and borrowing.
Apart from the technical and legal conditions and the conditions, the charter addresses the protection of human rights and the environment, the approval of the public and transparency, procurement and payment difficulties or disputes. On the thorny issue of human rights, the Charter provides that the measures should be financed not against the rights, as defined in the contracts, or to the borrower or the lender are signatories. Furthermore, the financing should not be in contradiction to the internationally recognized minimum standards of social security, employment and environmental protection. These include the Bank of protecting the IFC performance standards and the ILO core labour standards.
This is a fundamental difference of the Charter of Eurodad G20 discussions about responsible lending their own Charter. The G20 Charter, in particular driven by a rich country fears about growth in the granting of credit from China and India, by contrast, were, according to reports from Brazil, China and South Africa . A revised text will be discussed G20-ththe next meeting in Brazil in November.
Eurodad, the various Governments or authorities on a voluntary basis, to adopt the charter, and for the debate on the subject of the United Nations Charter as part of the financing for the development of processes for the next meeting in Doha November.
The African Network on Debt and Development (Afrodad) is fair and transparent debt arbitration Campaign, whose goal is the collection and dissemination of information on cases of debt odious and illegitimate in the world, for the establishment of a transparent mechanism for arbitration. Afrodad has already compiled ten dossiers, including Nigeria, Cameroon / Chad, Argentina and the Philippines. Afrodad, the organization of the national meeting in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo in April 2008, to inform, both locally and civil society groups and parliamentarians.
Vulture observe
To date, eleven countries, graduates of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), have been targeted by the so-called “vulture funds” (currently in Uganda, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Niger, Zambia and are covered). These companies buy to the “bad” debts at a discount, then try again the full amount, often by the introduction of the appeal by the courts. The commercialization of public debt, especially from the countries that participated in the debate with debt relief, offers an opportunity for the vultures-Fonds, as a free-drivers because they have the leeway Budget, by debt relief and loans for the Development Goals.
In January, a precedent in Belgium by the adoption of a resolution on “the protection of development cooperation and the exemption of debt of the action of vulture funds”. The legislation reflected in the clauses inserted in future bilateral agreements prevent it from using these means, and urges the international financial institutions, to ensure that initiatives for debt relief are binding on all parties. The Fund itself admitted, their vulnerability to regulatory measures decisive. Debt Advisory International, a complany, manages several funds vultures, said: “The impact of” zero tolerance “for the sale of sovereign debt vis-à-vis third parties for conversion or collection, is that they kill the secondary market for such claims, to resolve them, the buyers of last resort “.
During the year 2001, the IMF published a paper on the involvement of the private sector in the world of international finance law to solve and prevent financial crises. The short-vulture funds recognizes an obstacle for creditors nations to participate in debt restructuring through an additional opportunity to regain some of their credits. As an organization, the ears of the world on macroeconomic stability and the management of public finances, the IMF should be able, with a concrete proposal for the policy to the issue of vulture funds, in particular as regards their activities in the country HIPC.
For its part, the World Bank has not been so far, the activists for debt “Tender for the Development of International Development Association (IDA) to the reduction of the body. Installation lets HIPC countries through the takeover of their commercial debt at a discount, the Prevention of vulture funds from them.
Updates HIPC: Haiti and Liberia
The relationship between external debt and development have never been more pronounced than in the case of Haiti. Debt relief of $ 1.2 billion ($ 464 million, compared to those of the World Bank), and finally the completion granted, according to the HIPC program. The cost of non-fulfilment of the conditions of debt cancellation in the year 2009, the deadline is set at $ 44 million. From the viewpoint of the development, the central issue is the possibility for late fees, debt relief and debt servicing current Haiti, whereas in the HIPC program. According to the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, bar 1.2 billion, are considered debt relief amounts to more than a quarter of GDP in Haiti.
Liberia has $ 4.7 billion in external debt, of which $ 1.6 billion vis-à-vis multilateral institutions. In March, after several delays, the IMF attaches to Liberia, finally, the decision point and the status spent $ 952 million in financing. Liberia is currently under way within the IMF staff monitored programme aimed at strengthening the management of public finances. It took two years Liberia, to get to this point, and it can not hope to facilitate its debt, and it has a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for a bundle of years.
In January, the IMF has changed its rules, while for poor countries can begin the HIPC debt relief after the critical period, it was necessary to arrange Liberia’s residue clearance. Up to now, were required for an IMF programme of the HIPC initiative, qualification, but they could not begin as soon as the program of such a delay has been removed. However, countries in a position to obtain approval by the IMF of their economic policies and monitored by program staff, in addition to a loan from the IMF programme and interest on late payments can clearance at the same time. If this does not solve the problem of delays or unfair conditions, the debt relief that it is at least stop countries like Liberia waiting even longer before entering the HIPC relief of the debt.
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Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
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WELL-promoted farmers debt relief announced by the Finance Minister P Chidambaram today become a reality, as ministers of the European Union gave the green light to the creation of the Farmers’ Debt Relief Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 10000 crores.
The money would be in the group of funds in India during the year 2007-08. Authorization annual increase in the Fund, amounting to 60, 314 crores required to secure a refund to financial institutions was also by the trade union of their firm.
In addition to the 10000 crore, which has been earmarked for the year 2007-08, provisions for both rates were respectively of 15000 crores for 2009-10 and 2008-9, R 12000 crores for 2010-11 has been allocated and 8 , 314 crores for the next few years.
The R 60, 000 crore debt relief for farmers regime P Chidambaram announced in his budget would be the 30th of June 2008. About three crores small and marginal farmers, and is encouraged by the package of debt relief, at the present time by the UPA government.
It should be noted that the Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s debt relief means in writing by an amount of Rs 60,000 crore in the value of loans, which was, small and marginal farmers.
How does the system announced by the Government, all agricultural loans made by banks and cooperative institutions are depreciated. Agriculture Project credit from commercial banks and cooperative institutions amounts to crores Rs 240000 and up to 280000 crores.
The marginal farmers, farmers, peasants have less than one hectare, while the small farmers of one to two hectares of land.
While estimating the value of the debt relief scheme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that it was a response to an increase unorthodox from the minds of farmers, as revealing the largest company in the country.
“There is a growing need for agriculture. We are talking-animal minds and businesspeople. But I think farmers are greatest entrepreneurs of our country. They produce many of us have needed raw materials. If you are depressed animal spirits, it is not good for the country, “said the Prime Minister.
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Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
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The 2008 budget, the joy and relief for farmers in India, because the government’s decision to encourage farmers to abandon “loan.
As the first phase of the system, the EU has held firm Thursday to give consent crore from Rs 10000 crore to the funds that are already provided in the supplementary demands for grants for 2007-08.
The government also plans to increase the contingency fund of Rs 50314 crore in the next four years, to compensate for banks and other financial institutions.
It is estimated that the renunciation of debt and debt relief covered by the three young crore of marginal farmers and other farmers crore. Waiver debt of Rs 60,000 would be the 30th of June.
In addition to Rs 10000 crore in 2007-08 allocated for the financing of the system, the government of Rs 15000 crore respectively in 2008-09 and 2009-10, 12000 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 8314 and Rs crore in 2011-12.
In accordance with the regulations, all agricultural loans made by banks and cooperatives at 31 March 2007 was estimated at three crore small and marginal farmers are not mandatory. Marginal, farmers are, under the rules set by persons at a one hectare of land, while the small farmers are those under its 1-2 acres of the property.
Under the settlement an hour for other farmers, they receive a discount of 25 percent, while the balance of 75 percent of its outstanding loans.
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Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
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The Cabinet approved Thursday, a number of proposals, including one to Rs 1650 crore investment Dailmer AG in Germany regarding their proposed joint venture with India’s Hero group to the production of commercial vehicles over 2 tons. Daimler-investment is 60% stake in the joint venture, said an official spokesman.
The JV is to design, manufacture and distribution of India and overseas and would also source components from India for global needs, Daimler, along with research companies and conduct development activities for new products and variants.
The Union cabinet has also approved the establishment of a Farmers’ Debt Relief Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 10000 crore for the implementation of agricultural loans, the regime announced desist from the European Union to help approximately four crore Dear farmers. The government is to Rs 10000 crore to the funds that are already provided in the supplementary demands for grants for 2007-08.
The Fund, following the decision of the Cabinet of the Union, would be supplemented by another Rs 50314 crore in the next four years to compensate banks and other financial institutions because of damage to agricultural loans denial regulators.
In addition to Rs 10000 crore in 2007-08 has been used to finance the scheme, the government of Rs 15000 crore respectively in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and Rs 12000 crore 2010-11 and 8314 to Rs 2011 crore — 12
Another government decision relates to the transfer of Rs 6000 crore of the Fund of the State this year to a fund dedicated to the implementation of various social initiatives and the development of infrastructure could be taken.
These initiatives include ITIs upgradation of 1396, the training of farmers, insurance coverage of rural land, households say merit-cum-grants, the soil-water-charger and employment opportunities for the physico-challenged .
The Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs approved the continuation of the social security funds and infrastructure development “beyond 2007-08 for the implementation of the initiatives, said an official spokesman.
In another decision, the European Union ministers approved a bloc of the increase in the subsidy for the seven IITs and Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore from this year, compared with the 2005 level. The government has also agreed for the overall implementation of the collection of advance time to revise the block in an aid programme in a rational manner, she said. The decision would help restore the financial health of the IITs and IISc, she added.
The Cabinet also approved the expenditure of more than Rs 257 crore to upgrade and renovate several
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Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
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Finance minister P Chidambaram’s’ package of loan denial of the extent of Rs.60000 / - crore budget of the Union is not to end the misery of farmers. The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, who live in agricultural many suicides in recent years, the package not to create confidence among farmers.
After the announcement of Chidambaram package, as many farmers in the 74 suicides committed in the region until March 29. Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samithi (VJAS) President Kishor Tiwari said he was shocked by the sudden increase in suicides, in fact, the farm, under the domination vidarbha plight of millions of cotton farmers is known to the administration. Every day, around the farm six reports of suicide, he added.
He said they were demanding a minimum of food security and health care and rural employment or direct subsidies to farmers, to die for them on the functioning of suicide, but no one is willing to our requests,
VJAS Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, the formula Integrated Combat Vidarbha agricultural society, the misery is it wise invoked as a means:
1-Resotretion bonus cotton, as the price of Rs.2700 / - quintals, as promised by the president of the UPA Sonia Gandhi, at the time of installation of Maharashtra in 2004 as a choice Congress NCP government. Order advance, and bonuses have prices from cotton rs.2500 / - quintals per quintal to rs.18oo in 05-06 and 06-07 years.
2-Providing fresh credit banking institutions for all the debts of farmers caught mostly private money, donors and credit to 5 years asked how the cycle of credit NCF.
3-Treat yourself to the promotion of foodstuffs herbal Vidarbha cotton incentive for farmers.
4-2005 In vidarbha.
5-There is no concrete plan of investment in both India and Maharashtra. For more of the value of the cotton harvest at the local level, the other option for the secondary support system Revival, not a single plan agribusiness network.
6-There is no paln direct protection against market forces, the cash crop farmers grow at the expense of the stabilization of the front.
No. 7, the plan for setting up the regulatory authority for the control of costs and quality of contributions and exploitation of trade with the preliminary Commodity market.
8-It is not based on the discharge should be considered as food security and health education and taxes to the prevention of risk to help beleaguered farmers, the government directly. The employment of a person for Distressed peasant family.
Tiwari said that these essential requirements demanding, since June 2005, but not to draw only the aid organizations of over 5,000 suicides farm. Whenever package of emergency aid, but the beneficiaries are all the time on other death Vidarbha farmers.
It drew the High Court, Human Rights Commission, the President of India, the World Bank, United Nations and the best politicians and officials in that country. But death is not to save Vidarbha farmers. Now all agricultural militants in the region of Vidarbha deep despair and recognize their failure to save open the innocent victims, cotton and agriculture mass genocide resulted due to trade liberalization and heavy subsidies, United States by the American government for the cotton farmers, Tiwari Added.
After the demise of large loans from the Indian government. Do not put debt relief to more than 90% Vidarbha cotton farmers because of the cover exceeds 2 hector and truncated the date is March 30, 2007, because it has been estimated that next year’s election Government of Maharashtra. I will return to the price of cotton or announced by hector Rs.2000 subsidy for cotton farmers.
However, the Maharashtra Finance Minister Jayant Patil not long until this important issue. Kishor Tiwaris said that the amount of the project for irrigation is part of Vidarbha residues in PBIL not covered in relief.
After Tiwari, the region has experienced Vidarbha, over 20000 suicides of debt-ridden farmers in the last ten years, the government NCP Congress.
However, he said that the question of suicide is not due to the lack of strong political parties and the negative attitude of the babus in the administration of the state has shown that excess Rs.400 crore in the state budget, but no relief goods such as food safety, health care, nutrition vegetable free education, incentives for the prevention of cotton farmers to stop harassment for the maintenance of suicides in the region.
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Monday, March 31st, 2008
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Saturday, March 29th, 2008
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The government has announced the establishment of a fund for debt relief firm with an initial budget of Corpus Rs10, 000 crore to operationalize the farm loan waiver scheme, but he did not mention the amendments to the criteria of Eligibility for small and marginal farmers.
This initial corpus of Rs10, 000 crore for the Fund was established additional requirements for grants for 2007-08. This fund is supplemented by another Rs50, 314 crore in the next four years, to compensate for banks and other financial institutions for damage resulting from the lifting of the agricultural loan program.
The R-60000-crore denial of debt regulation adopted by Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the Budget for 2008-09, until June 30.
Although the union had yesterday of Ministers approves the establishment of the Fund for the implementation of the regulations, the Ministry of Finance is still expanding the scope of the scope of the system tjose possession of more than two hectares of land as a limit value for the eligibility or the terrain, the only reference date 31. March 2007 for the abolition of loans.
Critics have argued that the proposed ceiling of two hectares for the waiver of eligibility is not taken into account productivity and land, farmers of large farms and irrigated areas in evil.
They also believe that only a cut-off date unfairly penalise farmers in some regions. They had located discussion Cut-Off-go to a greater number of farmers in need deserve to benefit from the exemption.
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Saturday, March 29th, 2008
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The central government has decided to release the first tranche of funds soon to get rid of the 4-crore farmers’ debt, the European Union revealed Thursday, the firm green signal for the release of the body ‘origin Rs.10000 crore debt relief for farmers Fund-This tax regime as part of its “abandonment of loans to farmers.
The amount of Rs.50314 crore in the next four years, to compensate for banks and other financial institutions, payment of the loan by 3 crores 1crore of small and marginal farmers and other farmers.
The first allocation of funds is the way to the implementation of the farm loans amortize regime, which decided to schedule the 30th Month of June this year. Union P Chidambaram finance minister in existing budgets, had offered for the sum of Rs.60314-crore for the discharge of 4 crores of farmers, who had taken the loan from banks expected, regional banks and rural cooperatives , credit institutions as on March 31, 2007, or it may not repay on December 31, 2007, as part of this regime.
The rest is the allocation of an amount of Rs 15000 crore in 2008-09 and 2009-10, 12000 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 8314 and Rs crore in 2011-12.
“In the provision of relief from the debt or the signing of an agreement aimed at debt relief under the one-time scheme, farmers are entitled to agricultural credits, a freshness banks. “, said one official spokesman on the issue of One-Time For the project to set 1 - Crore other farmers.
Under a system of regulation time, as far as the economy of a country crore a reduction of 25% of its loans to pay serious if the 75% loan and after the repayment plan, they are for new appropriations by the regional and rural commercial banks and other financial institutions.
While the “waiver of farmer loans, a total of 03-crore small and marginal farmers would get 100% of the subsidy paid in respect of banks and government leaders would be offset, banks and institutions Financial, the loans distributed.
Since each of the standard system, “marginal farmers would be those who have acknowledged, to maintain a hectare of land, while the small farmers who are 1-2 hectares under their own responsibility.
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Friday, March 28th, 2008
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The government decided Thursday, the establishment of a Farmers’ Debt Relief Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 10000 crore for the implementation of the waiver of agricultural loans, the regime announced in the budget to help about four crore peasants.
The government is to Rs 10000 crore to the funds that are already provided in the supplementary demands for grants for 2007-08.
The Fund, after the decision on the basis of a meeting of ministers of the European Union today, would be supplemented by another Rs 50314 crore in the next four years to compensate for banks and other financial institutions Impact damage to agricultural loans denial regulators.
The R-60000 crore denial of the debt announced by the Finance Minister P Chidambaram scheme in the budget for 2008-09 is June 30.
The debt waiver and debt relief covered by the three young crore of marginal farmers and other farmers crore.
In addition to Rs 10000 crore in 2007-08 has been used to finance the scheme, the government of Rs 15000 crore respectively in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and Rs 12000 crore 2010-11 and 8314 to Rs 2011 crore — 12
Stresses that the implementation of the system is to reduce the difficulties faced by farmers, an official spokesman said: “In the provision of relief from the debt or the signing of an agreement to debt relief under the One Time Settlement (OTS), the farmer would be entitled to the freshness of agricultural credits from banks. “
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Friday, March 28th, 2008
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A new member of the private accounts, the students ask the bankruptcy two years after his release from the post-secondary level.
Bill S-205, proposed by Senator Yoine Goldstein, requires an amendment to the Bankruptcy Act and Insolvency, by reducing the waiting time from two to seven years. One such act of the amended law in December last year, a reduction of 10 years.
“In principle, there is a crisis at this time, especially by students experience hardness - many of them fall through the cracks of current government programs,” says Laurence Marion, researchers and Senator Goldstein’s Office.
The bill would also allow serious financial difficulties, on the one hand, a judge of debt relief at any time after leaving school, but the five years in which they must now wait.
“For example, if you have a medical condition that prevents them from working life, and they do not have an income, and they can not make their payments, which take account of distress,” said Laurence.
Currently, only people of their students excused because of the illness of debt, though they remain a handicap, “she said.
“Another thing that could happen, it would be a variation on the job market,” she said. “When someone has studied computer science just before the bursting of the technology bubble. Or, if you have studied, for example, an airline as a pilot, right before September 11, when there is a further decline in the industry and airlines, there is no demand for your skills. This could lead to a situation where you have the funds for training, but you are unable to earn an income, they pay their return. ”
Under the proposed legislation, the courts would decide whether they wish to fully relieve a burden of debt, in part to alleviate or completely deny the complaint.
“The students want to return to pay roughly. It is becoming more and more uncertain the exception, but the vast majority of their funds actually pay back, “said Laurence.
The bill, the first of two readings in the Senate. If it to a third round in the Senate, the leader of the House of Commons under consideration.
“It’s just become very unpredictable. It might be a choice at a given time, in which case the bill, as a rule, die on paper that would mean, at the beginning, it is still fresh in a new Parliament,” Laurence.
In fact, she said, the bill has already begun, and died after having previously under another name.
“In a perfect world, it may be by the Senate in the spring of this year, and if we really appreciate pleased that by the next session of the house.”
Goldstein was in the city and are not available for comment.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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A technical committee to scrutinise Kenya’s debt register, and report to the public on how the current and previous regimes have used donor money, will be in place soon.
A number of reputed organisations - including Oxfam and Institute of Economic Affairs - have been identified as members of the committee that will provide technical expertise.
This follows the handing over last week to Kenya National Human Rights Commission chairman Maina Kiai of 85,000 postcards, signed by Kenyans, asking the Government to push for cancellation of more than 425 billion foreign debts. The cards were presented to Mr Kiai by religious organisations and NGOs - operating as the Catholic Economic Justice (CEJ) Network.
“The debt register has a lot of technical data. Experts are required to scrutinise it to determine how funds were used,” says Mr Magnus Bruening,. He is the manager of research, advocacy and information technology at Kenya Episcopal Conference, Catholic Secretariat.
If this is successful, Kenyans will, for the first time, know how much was funded for projects in their areas, and whether they benefited.
A local organisation will also come up with monitoring mechanisms to track agreements the Government is entering into, the funds signed for, and their intended use. Results of the monitoring will be made public regularly.
Prosecute people
Arrangements are also being made to meet Germany (the current president of the council of European Union and the Group of 8 rich countries) on debt issues. “We are lobbying foreign ambassadors in Kenya to start negotiations with the Government on debt cancellation,” says Mr Bruening.
Debt campaigners also want the support of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and prosecute people indicated in the debt register as beneficiaries of money loaned to the country. A debt register details the amount the Government has received, from whom and for what purpose. Areas to benefit from the money are also listed.
International NGOs in other parts of the world have successfully scrutinised the debt register of the countries they operate in on these scores. For a long time, Kenya’s debt register has been a guarded secret, although it is a public document. Only recently did the Catholic Economic Justice Network use tact, determination and connections to access it.
But the information they got from the Ministry of Finance goes up to 2002, dwelling only on donor money received during former President Moi’s regime.
Intense, behind-the-scenes efforts are being made to make the Narc Government issue an updated debt register, showing how much has been received since it came to power in 2003.
Mr Kiai, who received the anti-debt cards last week at a ceremony at Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner, is expected to hand them to Finance minister Amos Kimunya, in whose docket the register lies, and House Speaker Francis Kaparo. Mr Kiai is also expected to help put pressure on the Government to provide an updated register.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Member states of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made pledges totaling more than US$842m, to provide debt relief for Liberia.
IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Monday announced in Washington, DC, that the International Monetary Fund secured these financing pledges from member countries as a deal to allow the Fund provide debt relief to Liberia.
A release from the Liberia embassy in Washington, DC, quoted IMF Managing Director as saying that when these pledges are formalized, a process will be followed to clear the arrears for Liberia to qualify for new Fund financing that will enable the delivery of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and other debt relief to the country.
This is one of the first concrete achievements for the new IMF director, who took over his post on November 1.
The IMF boss noted that by clearing Liberia’s books of arrears accrued over the war years, the deal will allow the struggling country to gain access to loans and other assistance from the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
The Embassy further quotes Mr. Strauss-Kahn as highly praising the financing breakthrough, noting, “Today’s milestone is a critical step in moving Liberia onto a path toward comprehensive debt relief. We will continue to support the post-conflict recovery, building on Liberia’s many achievements over the past two years”.
According to him, “despite difficult conditions, Liberia has established an encouraging track record of macroeconomic management and reforms.”
The Managing Director offered his thanks to the IMF member countries for their generous support, adding, “I would like to record my appreciation for the leadership of President Johnson-Sirleaf and her economic team.
I also wish to acknowledge the efforts of many leaders around the world in this cooperative effort, including the low income countries, as well as for the personal support of Bob Zoellick at the World Bank.”
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Nigeria may qualify for debt relief if the Jubilee Act, a new United States (U.S.) Congress legislation is passed into law.
The Jubilee Act for Expanded Debt Cancellation and Responsible Lending, introduced by Senators Robert Casey, Richard Lugar, Chris Dodd and co-sponsored by Senators Barack Obama, Joseph Biden and John Sununu will authorise expanded debt cancellation in order to help developing countries fight poverty. It will also ban harmful economic policies and conditionalities that keep lenders perpetually in debt to creditors including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Two years ago, Nigeria paid $12.2 billion to exit the Paris Club, with $18 billion written off. Early this year, Nigeria exited London Club with the payment of $2.08 billion.
Nigeria currently owes about $3.5 billion to multilateral institutions.
Currently, Nigeria is not qualified for debt cancellation under the World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) programme. Other countries in this category are Angola, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Djibouti, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Maldives, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Republic of Yemen and Zimbabwe
But the new bill, already under consideration in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, will give Nigeria and the other countries in the same category a chance to improve their human rights records and financial management practices, thereby qualifying them for outright debt cancellation.
“One of the requirements is that countries have to have suitable, transparent public financial management policies in order to be able to qualify. We think Nigeria could eventually qualify for that cancellation but probably won’t be eligible right away,” said the National Coordinator of Jubilee USA Network, Neil Watkins, whose organisation has been pushing for the debt cancellation legislation.
“Basically, what the legislation says is that if a country is eligible for International Development Association (IDA)-only assistance, they have to make sure they have good human rights practices. They also have to prove they will be able to use the debt relief well.
They have to have budget transparency and good public financial management practices,” he affirmed.
The Bill was introduced in the Senate on October 16 and in the House on June 7th - House Bill HR2634.
Explaining why Jubilee USA Network has been pursuing the legislation, Watkins stated that debt relief is an important tool in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MGGs). He observed that there needs to be trade justice and more aid to countries struggling economically.
He expressed concern that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt relief programmes do not cover all countries that need it in order to fight poverty and achieve the MDGs.
The organisation has therefore been encouraging members of Congress to see the benefits of a legislation to expand debt relief for more countries.
He however stated that it is absolutely up to each country to apply for debt relief when they do qualify. He also pointed out that although Nigeria may have reached an agreement with private creditors, it continues to carry the burden of servicing its multilateral debt.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Liberia’s Finance Minister Antoinette Sayeh said on Monday that it was time for “guarded optimism” when she described how close, but yet far, Liberia was toward debt relief.
The Finance Minister spoke cautiously optimistic following her return from the annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, where she participated in meetings on the process leading to a possible waiver of Liberia’s external debts.
Liberia’s external debt is estimated as high as 4.7 billion United States dollars.
And for the last 18 months, there have been moves to off set Liberia’s debt burden including an IMF staff monitor program under which the Liberian government has been effecting reforms, especially with the downsizing of civil servants and by attempting to adhere to fiscal discipline.
The Finance Minister told a news conference Monday that implementing a poverty reduction strategy for a full year and a satisfactory performance under a new IMF program were the two critical elements ahead of debt relief.
However, Sayeh said, “Liberia is very close to clearing its arrears to the IMF, World Bank, and Africa Development Bank; we are also potentially close to reaching the ‘decision point’ of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.”
Sayeh said at the decision point, Liberia debt service payments will begin to be forgiven, but that the debt stock will remain.
She acknowledged that there were too many hurdles to reaching the HIPC decision point including a funding deficit at the IMF of an estimated 28 million United States dollars and a deficit at the African Development Bank of an estimated 35 million United States dollars.
“In other words, the money is fully not yet available to pay for our arrears to and debt relief from the IMF”, Sayeh sounded cautiously, but added that, “We are currently working with the help of our international friends to attempt to close these gaps, a process that we hope will be completed quite soon.”
The Finance Minister also pointed out that the Liberian government was yet to finalize a negotiated arrears clearance document with the World Bank which would allow the Bank to clear Liberia’s arrears with an exceptional grant of about 501 million United States dollars.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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A dispatch from Washington D.C. on Friday said the managing director of the international monetary fund (IMF), Rodrigo de Rato has called on the international community for an urgent progress in moving Liberia onto the path toward debt relief.
de Rato was quoted as saying that, “this effort hinges on securing the resources needed to finance the cost of IMF’s debt relief to Liberia, which in turn could facilitate an arrears clearance operation for Liberia.”
de Rato made the call following a meeting with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who was on an official visit to America.
The IMF boss disclosed that IMF Executive Board recently approved the modalities of a financing package to facilitate mobilizing the resources needed to provide debt relief to Liberia.
“In this context, I am encouraged by the pledged support from a number of bilateral donors and look forward to additional commitments from a wide group of contributors to ensure that sufficient resources will be in place expeditiously for the Fund’s debt relief to Liberia,” de Rato stated.
He said during his meeting with Johnson-Sirleaf, their discussions focused on the ambitious reform program the Liberian government is pursuing under a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP).
The IMF managing director acknowledged that despite difficult post-conflict circumstances, the government has established an encouraging track record of policy implementation under their SMP.
He said “achievements under the SMP have supported a continued recovery in real GDP growth, relative price and exchange rate stability, and a significant improvement in public financial management and the financial position of the Central Bank of Liberia; looking ahead, to sustain the reform efforts, the authorities will need to continue to display strong ownership of the program, including by working closely with the Liberian legislature.”
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