'Poverty eradication is feasible goal'

New Delhi, Aug 15: Declaring that poverty eradication is now a ''feasible goal,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government will ''soon launch'' a Rs 25,000 crore special investment programme for agriculture and is ''ready'' to put in place a Vocational Education Mission to train and employ 10 million students every year.

''We will soon launch a special programme to invest Rs 25,000 crore in agriculture, to enhance the livelihood of our farmers and increase food production,'' Dr Singh said in his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 61st Independence Day.

The main focus of his address, delivered in Hindi, was on agriculture, education, employment and economic growth. ''Last year I spoke the need for a Vocational Education Mission.

Such a Mission is ready to be launched. We will soon launch a Mission on Vocational Education and Skill Development, through which we will open 1,600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres,'' he said.

The government would also ensure that annually, over 100 lakh students get vocational training, which would represent a four-fold increase from today's level.

The government would seek the active help of the private sector in this initiative so that they not only assist in the training but also lend a hand in providing employment opportunities.

Acknowledging that there ''is more to be done and more will be done'' for the farming community, Dr Singh said ''in the coming years our main emphasis will be on agricultural development.''

Dr Singh announced old age pension to all citizens above the age of 65 and living below the poverty line. The government would also provide life and disability cover to the heads of all poor families or to one earning member in each family so that they and their families can get over the consequences of injury or death. The government was also working on a health insurance model so that ''our poor do not have to bear the high cost of medical care. These programmes will be launched shortly.'' The Backward Regions Grant Fund would help 250 districts to catch up with other parts of the country.

''Every State, every district, every village, every person must be touched by the hand of progress,'' he said.

Dr Singh said since Independence India's development process had ''empowered the workers and farmers; it has made our citizens skilled and energetic; and, has made our business class dynamic.

''They are driving higher economic growth through their creativity and enterprise. Our economy is now growing at historically unprecedented rates. This enables us to generate the resources required for eradication of poverty, for education and health care for all. Poverty eradication is now a feasible goal.'' The Prime Minister carefully avoided referring to any of the ongoing controversies, including the nuclear deal and touched upon foreign policy only briefly. There was no mention of Pakistan or terrorism.

He said it was necessary to ensure that every Indian was educated and skilled so that all of them benefited from new employment opportunities that were being created across the economy ''Towards this end, our Government has decided to invest in setting up good quality schools across the country. We will support 6,000 new high quality schools - one in every block of the country.

Each such school will set standards of excellence for other schools in the area.

UNI