Manmohan wants G-20 office, housing dept

With India set to play an increased role in the international economy — as part of the powerful G-20 grouping — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wants to set up a G-20 Secretariat in New Delhi. But his idea has hit a minor glitch: the Urban Development Ministry’s housing wing has said a polite “no” and given “unavailability of space” as the reason.

Sources told The Indian Express that this unusual exchange took place a few weeks ago, as the Directorate of Estates, which looks after the housing needs of the government and comes under the Urban Development Ministry, turned down the request.

The request to the Directorate of Estates had been routed through the Finance Ministry, which said that the Prime Minister “desired” that with the increased role India is expected to play in the wake of the fast economic recovery from the international financial crisis, it would be pertinent to have a G-20 Secretariat. South Block sources said that New Delhi is working on the G-20 Secretariat and wants to set it up in time for the Canada summit in June this year. The Secretariat will have officials drawn from the Finance, Commerce, External Affairs Ministries and will directly liaise with the Prime Minister’s Office.

But the Directorate of Estates has thrown a spanner by turning down the request, and according to sources, it has justified the decision by saying that it has a “huge demand-supply gap” in providing government accommodation for home and office requirements. This, sources said, can only be overcome in the next few years if there is largescale re-development of government offices and houses in the Capital.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Manmohan-wants-G-20-office--housing-dept-says-no-space/605014