`Means of implementation for developing world drying up`

New Delhi: Despite new challenges and slowdown in global economy, India is committed to pursuing holistic sustainable development in its march towards economic growth and development, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said here on Saturday.

Addressing the concluding session of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit organised by TERI here, he, however, said many issues including food, energy, water and unsustainable consumption patterns and lifestyles of the developed countries placed undue burden on developmental aspirations of India. "Just when we have started solving problems of our generation, we have new challenges facing us as indeed the rest of the world....Lack of access to energy remains a concern," Khurshid said. Spelling out the challenges that the developing nations currently face, the Minister said that the slowdown in the global economy have only made things worse. "Means of implementation for developing countries are drying up. Our ability to provide safety nets to the vulnerable sections of our society has been shrinking, thereby widening the North-South gap," he said. "Just when we have started solving problems of our generation, we have new challenges facing us as indeed the rest of the world....Lack of access to energy remains a concern," Khurshid said. Spelling out the challenges that the developing nations currently face, the Minister said that the slowdown in the global economy have only made things worse. "Means of implementation for developing countries are drying up. Our ability to provide safety nets to the vulnerable sections of our society has been shrinking, thereby widening the North-South gap," he said.