Tuesday, February 14 2006 15:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hisar(Haryana): With India making rapid progress in various fields, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (Feb 14,2006) said the development process should be 'inclusive' and the focus should be on meeting the needs of the weak and the marginalised.

"India is emerging as an economic and technological powerhouse that will create wealth and generate employment to ensure growth with equity...we are within striking distance of growth rate of 10 per cent but we have to ensure that this wealth is distributed equitably," he said.

"Our development process has to be inclusive. The focus has to be on meeting the needs of the weak and the marginalised," he said in a convocation address at the Guru Jambheshwar University here.

Technology must move from the portals of universities to the streets and water reservoirs of the villages, fields of the farmers and factories of the small enterpreneurs, he said.

Pointing out that a strong policy framework for inclusivedevelopment is now in position in the form ot Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Urban Renewal Mission, he said, "The allocation of financial resources is only a part of the story. What is more important is the implementation of these schemes."

Asserting that universities and students have major role in making development inclusive, he said "We want the top brains in the universities, social and corporate sector to think about rural reconstruction."

"We have great architects as town planners. Today, I call upon you to create a battery of 'village planners'. The finest architects, best scientists and technologists, best agricultural experts and managers must get together as a team and start drawing up implement able blueprints of the model villages,"he said.