Urban-rural divide will go in 15 years, says Kalam

Asking school children to dream of generating result-oriented action, President A P J Abdul Kalam today said the gap between the urban and rural areas would be bridged in the next 10-15 years.

"All the urban facilities like roads, electronics and information technology would reach the villages in the next 10-15 years and there would be no difference between the rural and urban areas," Kalam said, responding to a question on the future of rural development from a student of the Government Higher Secondary School in Eintkhedi, 11 km from Bhopal.

The President also fielded a query on black holes from one of the students.

Asking the students to repeat after him, he said: "Dream transforms into talk and talk transforms into action."

The President asked the students to aim high and try to achieve their goals. "Today, India has equipped itself with the latest technology which can allow it to explore space," he said, and that these developments have become possible because "we have aimed high."

Kalam, who is on a day-long visit to Madhya Pradesh, was accompanied by Governor Balram Jakhar and Chief Minister Uma Bharti. After planting a sapling in the school premises, Kalam also took part in a function organised by the students.