Infosys Technologies Ltd's chairman and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy said on Thursday that development of infrastructure, which is one of the most visible signs of progress, is needed to attract foreign direct investment to India, as IT alone cannot help in achieving President A P J Abdul Kalam's 'Vision 2020'.

"Better roads, airports and power among others are needed for a prosperous India, and the Centre and state governments should take adequate steps to develop it on a war-footing,"

Murthy, who delivered the keynote address at the Gartner Summit India 2003' said in Mumbai.

"I respect the President's `Vision 2020', but IT alone cannot make it happen, and even for IT to get a good foot-holding infrastructure developing must be given a priority," Murthy said.

The President, earlier outlining his vision had chosen six key areas -- health, education, connectivity, strategic industries and rural development -- for the growth of the country.

Talking on the role of the government, Murthy said it should keep away from the "business of carrying out business", which would help in putting the country on the track of liberalisation and globalisation.

The government must conduct activities only in areas like external affairs, defence, monetory and national security, he said, adding liberalisation has yielded results since its introduction in 1991.

The nation's economic progress should be left to the citizens, he said.

"There is no need for governments to control the movement of funds into specific sectors, including IT," Murthy said.

He also likened India to a family of two children, one a gifted child and other a less privileged one.

"Whether we like it or not, there are two Indians, urban Indian, where the child is informed about what is happening around the world, and the rural Indian, where the child is hapless, undernourished and uneducated," he said.

"But we also have to take care of the rural Indian, by making the privileged one help the under-privileged ones," he said, adding that's what politicians have to understand, both here and around the world.

On the Business Process Outsourcing backlashes in the US, Murthy said, "If we cannot fight multi-national companies in our own backyard, how can we fight them in their backyard?".