Gulf News, 27.Seeptember.2003

'Create more jobs to root out poverty'

Kochi |By Akhel Mathew Correspondent | 27-09-2003

Leaders from the political and business world gathered yesterday to talk about how a spiritual leader known as "the hugging saint" can help India attain its goal of becoming an economic power in the next 20 years.

The heads of some 135 Indian companies, including Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia, are attending the conference as part of events marking the 50th birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi.

Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam urged industrial and business leaders from among non-resident Indians (NRIs) help realize the ambitious plan to turn the country self-reliant in crucial areas by 2020.

He told a select gathering of NRI Chief Executive Officers and businessmen from around the world that only through education and job generation the country's predominantly agrarian population could be addressed effectively to achieve the aim of eradicating poverty. Besides ensuring food and knowledge security, protecting the nation's security also was of paramount importance.

"India is endowed with a wealth of natural resources and gifted with an endless and incomparable biodiversity and human resources. We only have to add technology, including space technology, to convert them to our advantage," he said.

In her inaugural address, Amritanandamayi urged the NRI leaders to help realize the goal set by the President. It was his deep insight and vision that had made possible the international gathering. "Poverty is the greatest enemy of mankind. It drives young people to turn terrorists and thieves. If poverty is removed there would be greater unity among the people to the benefit of the nation", she said.

India must address problems of poverty and illiteracy to achieve its goal of becoming a developed country by 2020, other speakers said. Some 300 million of the country's billion people are poor and many people lack adequate health care.

In his keynote address, Hinduja Group Chairman S. P. Hinduja hoped that India would be able to achieve all its objectives.

If the right atmosphere was created, India's dream of transforming itself into a developed nation could be achieved even by the year 2010 itself, he said.