New Delhi: Amid surging international oil prices, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Aug 20, 2004) said that efforts would be made to find a substitute of diesel in rural economy and asked concerned ministries to focus on developing alternate fuels.

"Time has come to focus attention on alternate to crude oil," Singh said after releasing a commemorative stamp to mark the 60th birth anniversary of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Concerned over India's dependence on imported energy sources, Singh said the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources should focus on "replacing diesel in agriculture sector and tractors by bio-fuel."

"I shall be keenly watching this bold initiative," he said hoping to see results at the earliest.

There should be "diligent" efforts to find alternate to crude oil, he said adding his Government's endeavour was to make India a leader in the new and renewable energy sector in shortest time to "realise the dream of Rajiv Gandhi."

In an emotional speech, Singh recalled the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi saying, "He had the foresight in information technology and communication 15 years before the process unfolded."

Singh presented the first set of stamps to Sonia Gandhi at the function attended by a virtual who's who of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government including Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, HRD (Human Resource and Development) Minister Arjun Singh, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran.