Imphal: President A P J Abdul Kalam on October 5 asked political leaders in Manipur to make it a modern state in 10 years time by setting up industries and working for its all round development.

There was no lack of funds for development of the NE states "whether it be from North East Council (NEC), non-lapsable Central pool resources, border area development funds besides the state budgets", he said inaugurating the 36 MW state- owned heavy fuel power plant at Leimakhong.

Attention must be paid to develop education, social and cultural sectors, he said.

He said, the North Eastern states including Sikkim should have physical and electronic connectivity through telephones and other information technology means and constructing roads.

Referring to Manipur, he said that it had sufficient natural resources. "But what we need is to tap them properly and utilise them in an effective way," he said.

The heavy fuel power plant had been constructed from non-lapsable Central pool resources.

Kalam stressed that Manipur, which has a population of about 30 lakhs, needed to construct circular roads to connect different centres formed by various villages and then the national highways.

Governor Ved Marwah presiding over the function said that attempts should not be made to divide various ethnic groups in the region and would bring nothing but disaster.

PTI