Ahmedabad: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today (Feb 9, 2004) accused the US of adopting 'double standards' by proposing ban on jobs outsourcing from India.

"On one hand US talks of globalisation and liberalisation while on the other it was proposing a ban on outsourcing jobs from India saying it is taking away the jobs from computer professionals there," Advani said after inaugurating the newly-built district collectorate office, on the penultimate day of his visit to areas under his Gandhinagar Parliamentary constituency.

He said the multi-national companies coming to India are not 'obliging' the country (by creating jobs for people), as they get talented workforce and handsome return for their investment here.

The DPM quoted the example of how even foreigners were attracted by the state-of-the-art and economical healthcare facilities in India.

Stating that e-governance would be an important tool for India to emerge as a developed nation by 2020, Advani also called for the need to bridge the "digital divide".

Advani said while South India was taking great strides in information technology (IT), the presence of Northern region was very less in the same.

On Gujarat, the DPM said though it was one of the front-runners in development, there was more to be done for eradicating illiteracy.

Dwelling on poor representation of people from Gujarat in Defence forces, Advani said a proposal of "Gujarat Regiment" mooted by Chief Minister Narendra Modi was under serious consideration of the Centre.