NEW DELHI, 26 January 2004 — President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said yesterday sustained growth in Asia’s third largest economy and peace in South East Asia were necessary to help lift millions out of poverty.
The economy has expanded a robust 8.4 percent in the second quarter of the fiscal year to March, 2004, following the best monsoon rains in a decade that have boosted demand and consumer spending across the nation with a billion-plus population.
“The time has come for these economic benefits to reach speedily the rural population through development programs,” he said in an address on the eve of India’s 55th Republic Day.
Kalam said India needed heavy investments in the power and agriculture sectors to become a developed nation by 2020.
In an oblique reference to Pakistan, Kalam said peace was in the offing after most nations had realized low intensity wars and conflicts were too expensive for the region where millions still remain untouched by development.
Excerpts from the president’s address:
On this important day on the eve of 55th Republic Day of India, I am indeed happy to greet all the billion citizens of our country including those living abroad.
I also greet the members of the armed forces and paramilitary forces who guard our frontiers on the land, the sea and the air and also internal security forces. I would like to share some of my thoughts for evolution of a beautiful India, combining economic prosperity and value system drawn from our civilizational heritage.
Indian economy shows a very robust and consistent growth, indicated by the recent 8.4 percent GDP growth in the second quarter of 2003-04. Our foreign exchange reserves have crossed the $100 billion mark and are continuously rising. The rupee is steady and the middle class resurgence and the domestic buying power are on the rise. This has made our economy one of the fastest growing in the world. The time has come for these economic benefits to reach speedily the rural population through development programs such as PURA — Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas and Interlinking of Rivers. Economists all around the world predict that by the year 2020, the world economic scenario will be completely different from what it is today, and that India will occupy the pride of position.
Indian industries in certain sectors have matured to be very responsive to the national and international needs and have shown a steady growth in spite of earlier adverse predictions. Interest rates from the banks need to be more proactive to stimulate the growth of the right type of small, medium scale industry and agro food-processing industries. The combination of entrepreneurship education in schools and colleges, the hassle-free flow of venture capital and evolution of good market will give additional momentum for national growth.
For the next five years, with certain progress behind us, the challenge we have, is to launch a major thrust for attaining national prosperity. We should convert the present opportunity and work toward giving our future generations, a competitive nation which has the following characteristics.
-My profile of competitive India is a nation that is prosperous, healthy, secure, peaceful and happy, where the rural and urban divide has reduced to a thin line; where there is an equitable distribution of energy and quality water; where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony, absorbing technology thereby resulting in sustained wealth generation leading to higher employment potential; where education is not denied to any meritorious candidates because of societal or economic discrimination; which is the best destination for the most talented scholars and scientists all over the world; where the best of health care is available to all the billion population and AIDS/TB, water-borne diseases, cardiac problems and cancer are extinct; where the governance uses the best of technologies to be responsive, transparent, easily accessible and simple in rules, thereby corruption free; where poverty has been totally alleviated, illiteracy and crime against women are eradicated and society is un-alienated and a country that is one of the best places to live in and brings smiles on a billion faces.
These are the 10 dimensional transformations needed for a competitive India and we have to work for.
For continuing our mission of national development and economic growth in the sub-continent, peace is a paramount ingredient. Most nations have realized that low intensity proxy wars, deterrence-based buildups and real wars are too expensive detractors from the perceived visions of development.
The development of society also weans away its people from destructive activities of alienation, leading to celebration of peacemakers.
When guns are silent,
Flowers blossom on the earth;
Fragrance engulfs good souls,
Who created beautiful silence.
India will always be grateful to the successful peacemakers.
When I assumed office on July 25, 2002, I addressed the need for unity of minds becoming one of the focused missions for our nation.
Also certain challenges before the nation are to be addressed collectively in the immediate future to facilitate faster pace of national development. Our scientists should become civic scientists and contribute toward societal transformation. Civic means concerning or affecting the community or the people. In the new capacity, scientists step beyond their campuses, laboratories, ministries and institutes and move into the center of their communities to engage in active dialogue and action with their fellow citizens. They should ask themselves a question, how their knowledge can make an impact on the common man’s life. Our civil servants and others in the service sector should become fearlessly people-friendly, have a positive attitude, and provide responsive, proactive, transparent and unbiased administration and service to the billion people.
Assent has been accorded for the 86th Constitution Amendment Act — Right to Education Bill for children between the age group of 5 and 14 years. Urgent action is needed for providing suitable school infrastructure and appointment of good teachers for running the schools for providing quality education to the children blended with the modern technologies of e-learning and tele-education. While doing so a review of the syllabus is also required to prevent overloading of the children for ensuring blossoming of their creativity.
The nation’s vision of developed India requires greater thrust to scientific and technological advancements. All our IITs, IIMs have graduated as world-class brand institutions in addition to the century old premier institution — Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. These characteristics must be preserved and nurtured. We should also encourage universities to become cradles of higher learning and research, contributing generation of high skilled global human resource force.
With farmers in focus, farming technology as their friend, and food processing and marketing as partners is indeed the second green revolution. From now on to 2020, India would have to gradually increase the production to around 400 million tons per year.
The scientists and technologists must undertake a health mission “Let my brain remove the pain.” The scientific community must realize that the competitiveness can come only by integrated mission driven programs partnered by academy, R&D organization and industry.
The status of environmental cleanliness is one of the indicators of development of a nation. As a nation, we have to keep our environment clean and tidy. This is essential for better health conditions of all the citizens and also for presenting a wholesome and aesthetic atmosphere for us and also the tourists visiting our country.
The general elections for 14th Lok Sabha will take place in 2004. I was thinking what could be the manifesto of the competing political parties for the election. India has more than 540 million people up to the age of 25 years. Every citizen has got a role to choose the right representative to the Parliament and legislatures, whose vision is that of national development and who has the concern for his/her constituency and the people.
India is very fortunate to have 540 million youth out of a billion people. We are doing well in agriculture, our industry is on the upswing and our performance in the services sector is also equally good. Time has now come for us to make our country, righteous. Righteousness comes out of good character. The evolution of good character leads to harmony in home. Harmony in home brings the people of the state to become enlightened citizens. Enlightened citizens lead the planet earth to be a peaceful world.
Let us rededicate ourselves on this occasion of the 55th Republic Day to work toward making India a prosperous, happy and secure nation, with smile on billion faces.
God is with us. Jai Hind.