New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations (UN) and accepted by India are way off the mark because of the lacklustre policies of the government and private sector, say experts.

Experts discussed this issue at a seminar on 'Effective Partnerships for Human Security and Sustainable Development' organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in collaboration with Forum of Indian NGOs for Cooperation with the UN (FINCUN) here Friday.

"We need to understand and enforce the constitutional rights given to the poor which they are unaware of. We need to adopt programmes and policies which are targeted towards the needy and we should differentiate between poverty eradication and poverty reduction," said Muchkund Dubey, president of the council for social development.

"Poverty is bound to increase if land acquisitions for industrialisation and special economic zones, each needing more than 1,000 acres of land, is not stopped," Dubey, a former foreign secretary, said.

According to him, World Trade Organisation rules which affect the public distribution system and food security, should not be accepted.

Discussing the role of the media in spreading awareness about the Millennium Development Goals, senior journalist Usha Rai said: "Newspapers only look for business, whatever they write is about is urban-centric. I have met a large section of educated and learned journalists who have not even heard of the goals."

According to Rai, the goal of providing education under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has not been taken seriously by the government and the media.

"The educational supplements brought out by the leading national dailies are nothing but advertisements. They never talk of education of the poor kids and rural children who do not even have a primary school," she said.

Razia Ismail, co-president FINCUN, criticised the eighth goal given in the Millennium Development Goals charter, which talks of building cooperation with pharmaceutical companies and private sector.

She questioned, "Why do we seek their cooperation and why do we feel only they can help us?"