India will achieve its goals under Vision 2020: Kalam

Singapore, Aug 27 (UNI) Former Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam is confident that India will achieve its goals under Vision 2020, one of which is to equip 540 million youths with skill and knowledge.

''Every Indian will have either a university degree or quality training with employable vocational skill by 2020,'' he said in a lecture organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

He highlighted the economic growth potential of India's 540 million energetic youth and the 23 million people of Indian origin across the world which will help India achieve its Vision 2020.

Dr Kalam noted the interest of many developed countries to invest in India's engineers and scientists including the setting up of new Research&Development Centres, another major momentum towards the goals.

India's 10 per cent gross domestic product growth in the 11th plan from 2007-2012 will be maintained for a decade, he pointed out, adding that the GDP growth has already increased from eight per cent previously.

''We expect the people below poverty line to come to zero and our literacy must be nearly 100 per cent (by 2020),'' said Dr Kalam, who is on a two-day visit to Singapore.

The former President this morning opened the third campus of the Global Indian International School and highlighted the global recognition of Indian education system.

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