Kalam urges Kerala to focus on tribal areas devp

Thrissur, Dec 20: President A P J Abdul Kalam today said whileKerala could be proud of its tremendous achievements in the past 50years, it should now focus on taking the fruits of development to therural, tribal and interior areas of the state.

Addressing the concluding ceremony of the golden jubileecelebrations of the state's formation here, Dr Kalam said that Keralaboasted of all three pre-requisites needed to make a place developed:unity of mind, availability of financial resources and bio-diversity.

''What more do we want to make Kerala into a developed state,'' he added.

Observing that 50 per cent of the state's population was below 30years of age, the president urged all the political parties to riseabove their differences and work towards the future of the people andthe state.

Lauding Kerala's tremendous achievements in the fields ofeducation, health care, infant care and road connectivity, Dr Kalamsaid the state should now tap its potential to develop the informationtechnology and knowledge sectors.

''Adding good electronic connectivity and knowledge connectivityto road connectivity would lead to economic connectivity,'' he added.

Talking of the 'PURA' (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas)initiative of the Central government, the president said that thisprogramme had the power to transform the face of rural India.

He urged the Kerala Government to adopt key characteristics of theprogramme to bring the fruits of development to the tribal, rural andinterior areas, which were lagging behind the urban regions in terms ofprogress.

Among the areas where the state could focus under 'PURA' weredevelopment of world class vocational institutions, quality healthcarethrough telemedicine, infant mortality rate to be brought under 10,horticulture and floriculture and fish processing to provide employmentto all.

While developing the information technology sector, Kerala should focuson Tier II cities such as Alappuzha, Kottayam and Thrissur, Dr Kalamsaid. He noted that Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had said that thestate aimed to develop its information technology and knowledge sectorsto produce knowledge products worth two billion dollars and create jobsfor 100,000 workers in the next few years.

Stressing the need for the state to use its God gifted waterways,Dr Kalam said that it was his dream to see Kerala developing ''smartwaterways'' connectivity from Thiruvananthapuram in the south toKasaragod in the north.

He noted that Kerala was already at the top in terms of the human development index among the 28 states in the country.

The state's people were especially blessed with a ''unity of mind'', which was rare in a multi-cultural society, he said.

The people of Kerala, who sweated and slogged overseas, weresending Rs 20,000 crore in remittances every year, which was thehighest remittance received by any Indian state.

Kerala could also boast of being one of the four greatest bio-diversity centres.

Combining all these attributes with a highly literate population,the state should march towards further progress and glory, he added.

Also present on the occasion were Governor R L Bhatia, ChiefMinister V S Achuthanandan, Education Minister M A Baby and ThrissurMayor Ms Bindu.

UNI