Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus said here yesterday that people interested in social business will never seek government support and facilities.

He fears if governments provide special facilities to social business like tax cut, many people will gather to take those advantages in the name of social business.

If governments come to do social business, they would use power for taking advantages, which should not be done, said Prof Yunus. ''That is why I am saying the government of a country must not involve in social business.''

Yunus, managing director of Grameen Bank and initiator of social business, made the remarks while addressing a press conference attended by journalists from across Europe.

The news conference was held at Lounge-2 of Autostadt (communication and service platform for the international Volkswagen Group) here. It was organised to inform about the Global Social Business Summit that started on Thursday.

In a reply, Yunus said he has been getting encouraging responses on his concept of social business since the last couple of years.

''I am convinced that we will be able to address all social problems by social business in the very near future, as this business is very much a workable methodology.''

He puts all his faith on the young around the world for advancing his new concept, said Yunus. ''It's the young people who will drive social business.''

He said youths are more powerful and more connected. Their minds are flexible to accept new concepts. ''They are ready to take new ideas.''

In another reply, he said the top executives of the top business organisations have the power to invest more in social business and urged them to come in social business with a view to resolving social problems across the world.

''Top executives have money to do business; they would use their power for solving problems by doing social business.''

Later, Prof Yunus and noted writer Paulo Coelho attended a public lecture on ''social business'' at Autostadt and answered questions from over a thousand audiences, who are encouraged to do social business.

In the lecture, he urged the young to come with new ideas for social business. ''The first phase of social business has been started. It's time for the young to come with new creative ideas and put forward the concept with great confidence."