Kalam's mantra for UP's growth-Oct 8, 2010,

Kalam's mantra for UP's growth

TNN, Oct 8, 2010, 04.26am IST



LUCKNOW: Whether it was the 20-something management student, or the 60 plus businessmen, on Thursday evening, 79-year-old former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam not only held a captive audience, but in true classroom style, he even made his listeners repeat sentences after him.

In Lucknow on a day long visit, Kalam addressed gatherings of entrepreneurs, students and government functionaries, identifying UP's potential across sectors and even suggesting ways to build on the state's many strengths.

Speaking on the subject of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Kalam said India could achieve economic growth through the MSME sector. Kalam said: "MSME's have two unique characters -- location and scale independent. Since they can be set up in urban or rural areas and can begin operations with a small work force, if they now focus on skill development, it can make for a winning formula.''

Adding that youth in India accounted for nearly 500 million persons, Kalam added that the numbers presented a brilliant opportunity for the MSME sector to capitalise on. Kalam said: "By 2016, four our of every 10 workers in the global work force will be an Indian. That's because of the large numbers of youngsters we have in the country.''

Though the thrust of his statements remained on developing the MSME sector at the Indian Industries Forum, later in the evening, the scientist-teacher emphasised the need for creativity in leadership while speaking to a gathering of Confederation of Indian Industry. Maintaining that the role of industry was key in shaping India's image over the next decade, Kalam's reiterated his Vision 2020, adding that the entire work force had to be competitive. "Competitiveness is the common factor that defines the dynamics between a developing country like India and other developed countries of the world.''

If Kalam's overall advise for the industry sector may have appeared to be general, the former president also has a winning formula specific to UP. Advising the state to set up 1100 Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA) Corporations, Kalam said entrepreneurs should set up these corporations -- comprising village clusters and engaging local human power -- at different locations in the state and harness what the area was most productive in. Citing an instance of a village near Allahabad, Kalam said, "I saw Jatropha plantation being done on a barren land in the area. The results were excellent.''

If India and UP's vast potential remained key to Kalam's address, the areas of concern and the work that needed to be done was also not lost on him. Referring to the power deficit in UP -- only 6500 MW of power available against a demand of over 8000 MW -- Kalam advised the private sector to set up power generation units on a public private-partnership model. India's former president also referred to UP's potential in the sugar industry, the agro-produce processing and value addition sector, health, bio-fuel production and power sectors, where possibilities are huge, but not enough, he said, is being done to tap the state's true potential.

For those who may have had their fill of business and industry, Kalam's address also blended just the right dose of moral lessons. He advocated the creation of an ethical nation, with a creative leadership that talked of synergies rather than control, of coaches instead of commanders, delegators instead of leaders and enterprises that would be run with a sense of righteousness. As his audience gave him a standing ovation, Kalam ended on a poetic note: "Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in character. Where there is beauty in character, there is harmony at home. When there is harmony at home, there is order in the nation. And when there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.''




Read more: Kalam's mantra for UP's growth - The Times of India