United Progressive Allaince government has not closed its doors on divestment and the options are very much there, Union Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.
"Even today if we feel a particular government organisation is not doing well, the option (of divestment) is still there," he said, inaugurating residential quarters for central government employees.
It is the Congress government, which formulated the policy on divestment during the regime of late P V Narasimha Rao in 1991 and the UPA government has still kept the options open on divestment, he said.
Lauding the private sector's achievement, Azad said, "It is the private sector which is largely responsible for making Bangalore the global city it is today. However government has been the facilitator," he said.
"As far as 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 was 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.
