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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hoped that India would achieve and sustain 10 per cent economic growth in the next 10 to 20 years to eradicate poverty, provide education to all and create employment opportunities for the youth.
Addressing a public meeting at Kothakota in Mahbubnagar district, after laying the foundation stone for four-lane extension works on National Highway-7, Singh said that the country was forging ahead on the development front.
Achieving an eight per cent growth rate was thought impossible a few years ago but even nine per cent growth has become possible now. "We are hoping for 10 per cent growth rate," he asserted.
The prime minister said that he had laid the foundation for a project that would make the National Highway 7 from Hyderabad to Bangalore into a four-lane road.
"This is an important national highway linking north with the south. The highway passes through several districts in Andhra Pradesh. The widening of the highway will bring benefits to the people of Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, Medak, Nizamabad and Adilabad districts as well as Kurnool and Anantapur districts," he said and added that the Rs 1,500-crore (Rs 15 billion) project in Mahbubnagar district covered a distance of 179 kms.
He hoped that the farmers in the state would benefit immensely from the widening of the highway. "I am sure that every village along this highway will look like a small town when this project is completed and the people will be able to go to Hyderabad very easily," he observed.
The prime minister said Andhra Pradesh was an important state for the UPA government in Delhi.
"Owing to the unstinted support of the people of this state, the UPA government is running smoothly. We are not only grateful to the people of the state but would extend all possible help for the development of Andhra Pradesh," he assured.
He pointed out that lakhs of people were getting work thanks to road, irrigation, power and other infrastructure projects taken up in the state.
The farm productivity would grow benefiting the farmers and enterprises would flourish and the face of Andhra Pradesh would change for the better, he said.
Singh had all praise for Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy for embarking on the ambitious 'Jalayagnam' programme for completion of all ongoing and new irrigation projects in a time-bound manner.
"Dr Rajasekhar Reddy is a far-sighted chief minister. He has taken up the responsibility of implementing a massive scheme for taking irrigation facility to all corners of the state.
"Sir Arthur Cotton had performed a miracle by constructing the barrage across river Godavari 150 years ago. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy wants to emulate him and perform the miracle by extending the irrigation facilities all over the state.
"Whether it is Telangana or Rayalaseema, he is trying to ensure the development of all backward regions. I am sure that Telangana, which was lagging behind other regions in irrigation, would overtake them in this field in the next few years," he said.
The prime minister also lauded the initiatives taken by the Andhra Pradesh government for the progress and empowerment of women, for extending healthcare and educational facilities to the weaker sections and for providing land to the landless poor. He complimented Rajasekhar Reddy in this regard.
He said that the UPA government had embarked on a massive programme for strengthening the infrastructure in the country by extending the highways and other linkages at an enormous outlay of Rs 2,30,000 crore (Rs 2300 billion).
Some of these road projects are taken up in cooperation with the private sector. The UPA government also started work on upgradation of railways, ports and airports in the country. Andhra Pradesh would benefit from these projects.
He exuded confidence that Andhra Pradesh would emerge as one of the foremost states in terms of development and progress. "We will do our best to fulfil the dreams of Sonia Gandhi and Dr Rajasekhar Reddy for transforming Andhra Pradesh. We will work shoulder to shoulder with Dr Rajasekhar Reddy in this regard," he added.