National mission
Dear friends, while thinking on typical important missions that will bring societal transformation through competitiveness and propel the vision 2020 missions of India, we could find common grounds for new challenges and opportunites for investments in India. They are the following:
Agriculture and food processing: We are in the mission of generating 400 million tones of food grains with reduced land, with reduced water and with reduced workforce from the present 200 million tonnes.
New technology needed in agriculture area from seeds to cultivation to grain, food process and marketing.
Value addition in the farm produce will be the focus in our 11th plan period for the reason that it will have impact in the increase in productivity and economic growth. This entire chain will enable employment particularly in rural areas in a big way.
Infrastructure: At this juncture, infrastructure development is a crucial area for development in India. India is aspiring to build hundred million homes within next ten years.
The infrastructure development in metropolitan and tier-2 cities needs to be enhanced in the form of new bridges, airports, marketing complexes and industrial units. 40 per cent of the rural areas need to be covered with all weather roads; we need to double the present national highways ratio per 100 square kilometre area. Simultaneously, we are in the process of developing ports, railway systems and airports.
For example, the Indian Construction Industry employs over 31 million people for its asset generating activity of around $80 Billion (Rs. 310,000 crore) which includes expenditure of $50 Billion (Rs. 200,000 crore) incurred by the Government.
This will need development of specialized quality human resource in all the spectrum of infrastructure activity.
Energy: When I addressed to the nation in 2005, I have set a goal of realizing Energy Independence (coming out of fossil fuel) by the year 2030.
When our population may touch 1.4 billion people, demand from power sector will increase from the existing 130,000 MW to about 400,000 MW.
This assumes an energy growth rate of 5% per annum. Electric power generation in India now accesses four basic energy sources: Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal; Hydroelectricity; Nuclear power; and Renewable energy sources such as bio-fuels, solar, biomass, wind and ocean.
We need a major thrust in solar energy and wind energy for generating over 120,000 MW by 2030 through these two renewable energy sources. Similarly we are planning to harness over 65,000 MW from hydro power sources and 50,000 MW from nuclear energy sources.
Copyright@www.abdulkalam.com. This is an article written by former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.