Ludhiana: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday(Feb 6, 2007) said when the Indo-US nuclear deal bears fruition, there would besufficient energy available from which Punjab'sindustrialisation could benefit.

"When the nuclear deal with the United States matures, sufficient energy would be available to India and Punjabwhich is must for raising industrial production," he said addressing anelection rally here.

Singh said the UPA Government was committed to creating a positive atmospherein the country for strengthening agriculture and industry and expected a 9 to10 per cent growth in national income on yearly basis during the next couple ofyears as compared to present 8 per cent at present.

Terming Punjab's elections as 'vital' for deciding the future of the country,Singh asked the voters to refrain from bringing communal and separatist forcesto power and go the Congress way so that it can work in tandem with the UPA Governmentat the Centre for an accelerated economic development of the state.

"I appeal to people of Punjab to understand that in Congress regime, Punjab has witnessed an all round development while theopposition party has always indulged in dividing the people on the basis ofreligion and casteism," he said.

On relations with other countries such as Chinaand Russia,he said it has improved immensely during UPA regime.