Dr APJ ABDUL KALAM EXPECTS 10% GDP GROWTH IN NEXT TEN YEARS

Former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam delivering a lecture on “Vision 2020 for India” to the Officers of Higher Defence Management Course in Secunderabad Cantonment on 14 Nov 2009.
 

Hyderabad|India|November'2009: Former President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam has expressed hope that with the continued impetus on strengthening economy, India could realize at least 10% GDP growth in the next ten years. He was addressing the senior officers of Higher Defence Management Course at the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Secunderabad on 14th Nov.

He said that impact of the economic liberalization and growth measures initiated by the government has now started being felt. The former President felt that though Indian economy is in the ascent phase, the economic growth is not fully reflected in the quality of life of a large number of people.

Dr. Kalam said that there should be progressive reduction in the people below poverty line year after year leading to it reaches near “Zero” by 2020. He said that the mission of transforming India into a developed nation, could be achieved through concentrating vigorously on five core sectors viz., Agriculture and food processing, Education and health care, Information and communication Technology, Quality and Reliable infrastructure including power and transport and Self Reliance in critical technologies. He said that these five areas are closely inter-related and if progressed in a coordinated way, will lead to food, economic and national security.

The former President also referred to his PURA (Provision of Urban Amenity in Rural Areas) mission and said that with this approach, the core competencies in the rural sector would be harnessed for sustainable development of the economy as a whole. Dr. Abdul Kalam has observed that he is happy that his three dreams of Space Research Programme of ISRO, Agni Programme of DRDO and PURA have taken shape as vision, mission and realization and becoming the National Mission.

Commandant of College of Defence Management, Rear Admiral VS Batra welcomed the president on his arrival. 109 senior officers of three wings of Defence Forces, including four from Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan are attending the year long Higher Defence Management Course which commenced during June this year.