Kalam calls for harnessing core competence for economic development

Kolkata, May 17(UNI) Setting a higher GDP growth target for the Eastern and North-Eastern states, President A P J Abdul Kalam today called for harnessing the core competence of the regions for economic development.

" We have to ensure that the overall GDP growth rate of East and North East States reaches eight to ten per cent and is maintained at this level for the next ten years," he said while inaugurating a conference on 'Development of East and North-East India-strategic issues in a national perspective' at the National Library.

The President said to ensure the higher GDP growth rate it was essential to create employment in the rural areas through development work.

" Since over 200 million citizens of East and North-East live in villages, there is an urgency to improve the conditions of rural life through better physical connectivity, electronic connectivity, knowledge connectivity, which together will lead to comprehensive economic connectivity," he said.

Observing that East and North East States had several core competencies, including natural and human resources, cultural and tourism potentials, Dr Kalam suggested that these areas could be pooled for mutual benefits of the states.

He underlined the need for creating a knowledge platform for the Eastern states which would combine the core competencies of all the states in the region and would become the launch pad for many innovations.

" This would be possible only by the combined power of all the scientists and technologists drawn from this region...I am confident that this region with its multiple core competence and Investment Plan can get transformed into a developed region well before 2020," he said.

The President said as per the Planning Commission projection, Rs 3,25,000 crore was expected to be allocated for the development of the Eastern and North-Eastern regions during the eleventh plan period.

Referring to PURA(Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas), the President said, the specific needs of thre PURA for different states in East and North-East would be around 2,000.

The rural economy should be driven by renewable energies such as solar, wind, bio-fuel and conversion of municipal waste into power.

" With this approach the core competencies in the rural sector would be harnessed for sustainable development of the economy as a whole," he said.

The conference was organised by Divya Jeevan Foundation Society as part of its 'Resurgent East Resurgent India project.

UNI