'Andhra is my theatre of action'

Kalam moots amul co-operative model for agri production, processing & marketing

President APJ Abdul Kalam, in yet another departure from conventions, came up with a well researched prescription for the socio-economic problems faced by Andhra Pradesh, in a characteristic laptop aided address to the state's Legislative Assembly.

Strongly advocating a co-operative structure for agriculture production, processing and marketing, the President mooted a 10-point short-term development plan to the state government.

The 10-point programme mooted by the President for the short-term development of the state included the transformation of 50 per cent of the 21 lakh hectare wasteland available in the state into productive land, doubling the productivity of cotton crop, promoting the farming of herbal plants and bio-fuel plants, setting up of two 100 mega watt solar photo voltaic power plants besides several other such steps in healthcare, education, drinking water and weather monitoring.

Terming Andhra Pradesh as his 'theatre of action', Kalam said that the inspiration for him to work for the betterment of mankind came from the state.

He worked on two of the most important programmes in his scientific career "� the first launch of the satellite launch vehicle from Sriharikota in Nellore district and on the development of Agni and Prithvi missiles in DRDL Hyderabad.

It is only for the second time in the history of the state legislature that a President, after Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy in 1978, has addressed the state Assembly.

Kalam devoted most of his presentation to the problems of rural infrastructure and tried to suggest alternatives and action modules to the state leadership.

The first ever President to go in to the specific problems of any single state, Kalam on Wednesday advocated an integrated action on several areas like agriculture, education, employment to ensure a growth in the state's economy.

Stressing that agriculture was the most important among them, Kalam pointed out that 70 per cent of the state's population depended on the agricultural sector.

The President advised the state government to completely utilise the Godavari water for irrigation needs besides developing wastelands and diversifying cropping patterns according to the varying climatic and soil conditions in the state.

"The Godavari water which flows into the sea to the extent of 2500 tmc during floods and 750 tmc during normal conditions should be diverted into the basin area for irrigation purposes through step dams, irrigation canals and water storage lakes and ponds. This will increase the irrigated area of the Godavari basin by over 30 per cent," he said, endorsing the Congress government's ambitious five-year action plan for irrigation development at an estimated cost of Rs 47,000 crore.

Expressing sadness over the spate of suicides by the farmers, President Kalam told the legislators and the people to give them the courage to face the problems.

"Problems should not become your masters. You should reign over them and succeed by defeating them. This is an important lesson which I learnt not in any institution but during those days when I worked here in the state," he pointed out.

He even suggested that the joint family structure be encouraged in the rural areas to avoid personalised distress.

The co-operative structure advocated by the President in his power point presentation to the legislators included features like the creation of co-operatives in major centres involving the government, NGOs consultancy services and bringing together R&D organisations and people as partners.

In such a model the farmers would provide land and labour and be partners in profit. NGOs and consultants will identify the opportunity, draw out a business plan and finally organise value addition and marketing.

The plan envisages the government providing the policy framework for the transparent operation of the co-operative on the lines of the Amul model in Gujarat.

The President also suggested an alternative three-tier Rural development model which would empower panchayats to provide basic amenities, develop between 20 and 40 villages as a cluster providing road network, telecommunication network, power connectivity, education network and also a counselling centre, and to provide sustainable employment to rural youth.

'Only strength will respect strength'

Replying to a question from a TDP legislator, Kalam strongly defended the increased defence spending saying that 'only strength will respect strength'.

Responding to a question from a Congress legislator about his opinion on awarding a Bharat Ratna to Sonia Gandhi for her sacrificing the prime minister's post, Kalam said that people like Sonia Gandhi were not interested in awards. "I am also one of them," he said.

His trademark simplicity was on show again when the President drove himself to the state Assembly from the Raj Bhavan.