Wednesday, February 16 2005 16:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has not closed its doors on disinvestment and the options are very much there, Union Urban Developoment and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said today (Feb 16, 2005).

"Even today if we feel a particular Government organisation is not doing well, the option (of disinvestment) is still there," he said inaugurating residential quarters for Central Government employees in Bangalore.

It is the Congress Government, which formulated the policy on disinvestment during the regime of late P V Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister in 1991 and the UPA Government has still kept the options open on disinvestment, he said.

Lauding the achievement of private sector, Azad said, "It is the private sector which is largely responsible for making Bangalore the global city it today is. However Government has been the facilitator," he said.

As far public works is concerned, updating the technology of construction studies and keeping abreast with the latest developments is a "must for our engineers if we have to keep pace with the world," Azad said.

Constant improvement and upgradation in quality construction is necessary, he said, adding, "We not only have to think big but also do big."

Safety standards, environment friendliness must be given top priority apart from aesthetics, Azad said.

Our country is still lagging behind in providing shelter to all and must focus on this, he said.