France offers to map India's geography

France has offered to undertake a sustainable development study for India in line with the one carried out for China.

The French government's proposal is under the active consideration of the Government of India, according to Savitur Prasad, director, Union ministry of urban development.

He said a detailed mapping of the country's geography and other resources would be undertaken to provide inputs for a sustainable development model for the country. Official teams of both the countries are expected to join the initiative once the Centre gives its final nod to the French proposal, according to him.

Meanwhile, Thierry Desclos, head of International Affairs, ministry of transport, infrastructure, tourism and sea, France, who is here to take part in the second seminar of the Indo-French joint working group on urban infrastructure, said his government would be providing technological support to India's first water training centre coming up in Ghaziabad shortly.

The Centre would offer expertise in drinking water, waste water and drainage management, he said.

The Centre is also planning to set up two solid waste management institutes, one at Pune and the other at Tejpur in Assam in technical collaboration with France, he said.