India Review A PUBLICATION OF THE EMBASSY OF INDIA, KABUL http://meakabul.nic.in VOLUME 3 ISSUE 9 SEPTEMBER 2007 Focus will be on agricultural development, says PM rime Minister Manmohan Singh the plans for setting up colleges in 370 dis- marked the 60th anniversary of tricts, 6,000 new high quality schools in P Independence with a pledge to focus every block of the country and 30 new cen- in the coming years on the crisis-hit agricul- tral universities. ture sector but insisted that industrialisation The government, he added, would also was critical to progress and employment. promote five new Indian Institutes of Science Delivering his fourth speech from the ram- Education and Research, eight new Indian parts of Red Fort in New Delhi, the prime Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian minister touched upon an array of subjects Institutes of Management and 20 new Indian but his focus was on education and agricul- Institutes of Information Technology. ture. “It is my fervent desire that India becomes In his crisp 35-minute address, the prime a fully educated, modern, progressive minister voiced his government’s determina- nation... We will make India a nation of edu- tion to crush terrorism. He also urged people cated people, of skilled people, of creative to keep the country clean and green and to people.” use the Right to Information Act to check Asserting that India had “emerged as a corruption. bridge between the many extremes of the Manmohan Singh devoted much of his Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh addressing the world”, he said New Delhi desired “good time on agriculture, promising a Rs.250 bil- nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. relations” with all the countries and “the best lion package to boost farm output. “In the “India cannot become a nation with islands of relations” with its immediate neighbours. coming years, our main emphasis will be on of high growth and vast areas untouched by “I assure all our neighbours that we... want agricultural development,” he said. development, where the benefits of growth peace and the best of relations with all of “We will soon launch a special programme accrue only to a few,” he said. them. I sincerely believe that in the prosper- to invest Rs.25,000 crore in agriculture, to “Therefore, it is essential that we create ity and well being of our neighbours lies the enhance the livelihood of our farmers and new employment opportunities outside of key to our own security and progress.” increase food production.” agriculture. There is no developed country “We have had success on some fronts and The prime minister also said that the today anywhere in the world that is not an setbacks on some others,” he said. “But there National Rural Employment Guarantee Act industrial economy. Industrialisation is criti- is no doubt that we have been steadfast in that guarantees at least 100 working days in cal for progress. our resolve.” He said the Indian economy was the countryside would now be extended to “If employment generation is the best growing “at historically unprecedented the entire country. But the economist- weapon against poverty, then industrialisa- rates”, and sought more creative processes of turned-politician made it clear that there tion is the most effective means to create new urbanisation to overcome the many problems were limits to how much income agriculture job opportunities... We will pursue policies urban areas face, and called for cleanliness alone can generate, given the large popula- that will help in our rapid industrialisation.” drives in all neighbourhoods. tion dependent on farming and the small size Seeking a “revolution in the field of mod- For the text of PM’s speech click on of farms in the country. ern education”, Manmohan Singh announced www.pmindia.nic.in Highlights Key Messages make India a “bridge between global up colleges in 370 districts, to raise gross ! India is on the move — poverty eradica- divides”. enrolment ratio. 30 new central universities. tion is now a feasible goal. ! Mission on vocational education and skill ! Time for a revolution in modern educa- Key Initiatives development — 1600 new industrial train- tion. Widening access to education a key ! Massive increase in public spending on ing institutes and polytechnics; 10,000 new goal. education, health care, agriculture and rural vocational schools; 50,000 new skill devel- ! Farmers welfare is core of all concerns. development. opment centers. Need to bridge rural-urban divide. ! To promote social security in unorganised ! National Rural Employment Guarantee ! Industrialisation is the most effective sector — old age pension scheme for senior Act to be implemented in the entire country. means to create new employment opportu- citizens above age of 65 and below poverty ! Special programme to invest at least nities. line. Rs.25,000 crore in agricultural sector. ! India’s approach to global problems based ! Revolution in modern education — 6000 ! National policy for rehabilitation and on the idea of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam — new good quality government-funded resettlement on the anvil. the the whole world is one family. schools. Universalisation of secondary edu- ! New thrust to industrialisation and ! India’s composite culture and pluralism cation on the anvil. Centre to help States set planned urbanisation. INDIA NEWS Ensure equitable growth for all: President Patil ven as the Indian economy is surging in strength and resilience and being E watched by the world with singular interest, growth must be inclusive and touch all sections, President Pratibha Patil said in her maiden address to the nation on the eve of India's 60th Independence Day. “Growth, when unevenly spread, dwarfs overall prosperity,” the President said. “We have to ensure equitable growth for all. The fruits of economic development must necessarily touch, especially, the living and working conditions of our toiling masses and people below the poverty line,” Patil added, echoing a constant refrain of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Stating that the 60-year-old democracy, the largest in the world, was today set to take off, the newly elected woman president reminded fellow citizens of their duty to poverty, health and agriculture. Quoting collective vision. The more developed ensure that this unprecedented moment did Mahatma Gandhi as saying that “salvation of amongst us should inspire and enthuse the not go unutilised. “We have to take special India lies in the elevation of her women”, the less developed to race ahead on the road to care to bring in egalitarian reforms to ensure new president said history bore sufficient development,” she said. Pointing out that that the full benefit of economic liberalisa- proof that women excelled not only as able agriculture played a critical role for balanced tion reaches people at all levels,” she said. homemakers but also in the task of nation development, Patil said besides attaining the “For our nation to rise and claim its glori- building. goal of food security, “a strong and robust ous destiny, we must realise that it is our bil- “Let us resolve that they are nor left mar- growth in agriculture can help reduce rural lion hands that can shape it and, in the ginalised in our society. Let us also resolve to poverty”. immortal clarion call of Swami Vivekananda, expand opportunities for their wholesome Alluding to India's young demographic pro- I ask my fellow citizens to ‘Arise, awake and participation in every field of activity and file, Patil maintained it was imperative to bring stop not till the goal is reached’.” make them harbingers of sustainable devel- the needs, rights and expectations of the youth Besides delving on the economy, Patil also opment,” said Patil. to the centre of development concerns. focused on the other challenges before the “For any nation and its people to become For the text of President’s speech click on country including the status of women, great, there is a need to pursue the path of www.presidentofindia.com ! Inauguration of India-funded electricity project in Faryab gainst the backdrop of giant posters ect and provided manpower for supervision of proclaiming “India-Afghanistan: construction and commissioning of the proj- A Partners for Peace, Progress and ect. The project envisaged construction of Stability” and a 1,000-strong cheering crowd, three main 110/20 KV sub-stations at Ismail Khan, Afghan Minister for Energy and Maimana, Faizabad and Juma Bazar, laying of Water, and Ambassador Rakesh Sood formally a 130 km-long 110 KV electricity transmission inaugurated the two 110/20 KV electricity line from Andkhoy to Maimana, 15 km-long sub-stations at Faizabad and Juma Bazar in the 20 KV transmission line from Faizabad to North-Western province of Faryab on July 29. Dawlatabad, as well as construction of several With the commissioning of these two sub- distribution stations. stations, which are part of the Indian govern- Earlier, President Hamid Karzai had inaugu- ment-assisted Faryab Electricity Transmission rated the Maimana sub-station on November project, aimed at bringing electricity from Afghan Minister for Water and Energy Ismail Khan 28, 2006, bringing electricity to the capital of Andkhoy to Maimana, the project was formal- (left) with Ambassador Rakesh Sood (right) at the the province. ly handed over by Sood to the Government of inauguration of an electricity sub-station at Faizabad. With the completion of the Faryab project, Afghanistan. Water & Power Consultancy Ambassador Sood expressed the hope that with about 10,000 households and commercial Services Ltd (WAPCOS), a Government of the provision of electricity to Faryab, the establishments will be getting electricity in the India undertaking, was the main contractor for province should see a spurt in economic activ- four major districts of Maimana, Juma Bazar, the project.