Sunday, February 13 2005 17:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jamshedpur: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Feb 13, 2005) rued the lack of development in Jharkhand and said the people of the State would have to choose between development or disturbances by the communal forces in the Assembly polls.

''Some political parties are trying to divide the society on mandir-masjid issue. Such attempts will not help the country to progress. Such forces will only push the country backwards,'' Singh told an election rally in Jamshedpur by the Congress on the last day of campaigning for the second phase of polling in Jharkhand.

The polls were the right opportunity to take Jharkhand to the path of development, he said and hoped an honest Government would be installed in the tribal State. ''We cannot expect rapid growth if ministers and officials do not work honestly.''

Urging the electorate to vote for the Congress, Singh said it has been seen that every time the 106 year-old party came to power the country had become stronger and whenever it became weak the country too had become weak. Jharkhand would stand to benefit if it voted UPA (United Progressive Alliance) as it was already in power at the Centre. Rapid growth would be ensured by inviting industrialists to invest in the mining sector, irrigation system for agriculture improved and a lot of funds released in the next to four to five years.

Education, health and setting up of small scales industries to create employment will be focussed by the UPA, he said, adding development was the only way that naxal activities could be checked in this tribal State.

Singh said the lack of development and absence of employment opportunities for the jobless youth coupled with the deteriorating law and order in the State under the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) had led to the spurt in naxal activities.

''If law and order keeps deteriorating we cannot think of development,'' he said.

He denied former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's charge that the UPA Government had not taken up any developmental activity since it came to power. A food for work programme in 150 underdeveloped districts of the country under which 100 days of work every year was provided to one person of each family was taken up to help the poor and would be further improved next year.

''As per our election manifesto we will bring about a change in the education system and give more focus to women and children's health and education,'' he said. He said there was large-scale corruption during the NDA regime in Jharkhand. A Central team sent to verify the complaints of JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) president Sibu Soren on the health services of the State had found them to be true.

The Prime Minister said the country was progressing fast under the UPA Government. ''The 21st century belongs to India and the people should work shoulder to shoulder instead of indulging in caste and communal conflicts.''

Singh was accompanied by Union Ministers Santosh Mohan Dev, Oscar Fernandes and Vilas Muttemwar and JMM Lok Sabha MP Sunil Mahato.