NEW DELHI (ILO News) - The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia is visiting India on the invitation of the Government of India from 26 to 28 November 2004 for high level discussions with the government and representatives of workers' and employers' organizations.

Mr. Somavia will meet with the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Minister of Finance, Mr. P. Chidambaram, Minister of Labour and Employment Mr. Sis Ram Ola and other high-level officials.

To commemorate more than a decade of collaboration between the Government of India and the International Labour Organization on the elimination of child labour in India, the Director-General, along with the Minister of Labour and Employment, will unveil a replica of a child labour statue at Central Court, India Habitat Centre on 26 November.

On 27 November, the Director-General and Head, DFID-India, Ms. Charlotte Seymour-Smith will sign a Partnership Arrangement which favours joint initiatives in India.

The Director-General will also be present at the event "Reaching the Unreached Workers", organized by the five main trade unions in collaboration with the ILO. Mr. Somavia will also participate at a special event jointly organized by the Council of Indian Employers (CIE) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

For more information, please contact: Neelam Agnihotri, Communications and Information Officer, ILO Subregional Office for South Asia, Tel. +9111/2460-2101 Ext. 221; Email neelam@ilodel.org.in