Saturday, December 31 2005 14:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Unveiling 'Bihar Vision' for making it a developed state by 2015, President A P J Abdul Kalam yesterday (Dec 30,2005) said it is time for people to realise that crime and corruption do not pay.

"It is time to realise that crime and corruption do not pay. These fragment the society and the economy becomes directionless," Kalam said while addressing the convocation of the Patna University.

Stating that what was needed was a total realisation that situation could be retrieved and one could look to a bright future, he said all what was needed was a vision and collective will that could be put into practice through coordinated purposeful and positive endeavours.

"It is time Bihar has a vision and we should learn to look into the future, set objectives for the long run and eschew all temporary, short-sighted and parochial tendencies and objectives," he said.

Kalam said the people of the state needed to be awake and "I have no no doubt the rest of the nation will join them in such a noble task of turning Bihar into a developed state by 2015".

"This will be possible if the people's welfare is put at the basic objective. Politically, socially, economically and culturally coordinated, streamlined, harmonious vision for the future needs to be spelt out and worked for," he said.

"For the nation to develop, all the states have to develop and Bihar has an important role to play in realising the vision," he said.