India Vision 2020

-A Dream for Developed Nation ABSTRACT

India Vision 2020 was initially a document prepared by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) of India's Department of Science and Technology under the chairmanship of Kalam and a team of 500 experts. The plan is further detailed in the book India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium. This group is meant for discussing strategies for building a strong India by 2020, the dream of Dr Abdul Kalam. This group is meant for creating awareness about India's Vision 2020. All Indian youths and Non Resident Indian youths are asked to share their views.

A vision is not a project report or a plan target. It is an articulation of the desired end results in broader terms
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

INTRODUCTION
Dr.Kalam in one of his speeches elaborates the concept : Transforming the nation into a developed country, five areas in combination have been identified based on India's core competence, natural resources and talented manpower for integrated action to double the growth rate of GDP and realize the Vision of Developed India. These are:

Agriculture and food processing -- with a target of doubling the present production of food and agricultural products by 2020. Agro food processing industry would lead to the prosperity of rural people, food security and speed up the economic growth; Infrastructure with reliable and quality electric power including solar farming for all parts of the country, providing urban amenities in rural areas and interlinking of rivers; Education and Healthcare: To provide social security and eradication of illiteracy and health for all; Information and Communication Technology: This is one of our core competencies and wealth generator. ICT can be used for tele-education, telemedicine and e-governance to promote education in remote areas, healthcare and also transparency in the administration; and

Critical technologies and strategic industries witnessed the growth in nuclear technology, space technology and defense technology

KALAMS VISION
Kalam has three visions for India. In 3000 years of our history, people from allover the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards. The Greeks, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. First vision for India is FREEDOM. He believes that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and built on. If we are not free, no one will respect us. Second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling; our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, yet self reliant and self assured. Isn't this right? Third vision for India is STAND UP TO THE WORLD. I have a third vision. The India must stand up to the world. Because he believes that unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand.

MAJOR CHALLENGES FOR INDIA

A targeted approach to bring millions of families above the poverty line. Generation of nearly ten millions of new employment opportunities per annum, especially for those in the lower income groups. Eradication of illiteracy. A concerted effort to raise primary and secondary enrolment rates and minimise dropouts.

 Improved public health to reduce infant mortality and child malnutrition. Massive investment in power generation, telecommunications and other physical and social infrastructure. Accelerated acquisition of technology capabilities to raise productivity in agriculture, Industry and services. Becoming a more important player in the world economy in terms of both trade and investments. We are confident that we can and will meet these challenges. We also feel that we have the knowledge and the capacity as a nation to achieve food for all, health for all, and jobs for all. What we do not know for sure however is, how long it will take us to accomplish them. We need, therefore, to affirm the will and the determination to do it rapidly and achieve it now rather than sometime later.

RABINDRANATH TAGORES VISION

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls. Where words come out from the depth of truth. Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection. Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit. Where the mind is led forward by Thee Into ever-widening thought and action. Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. Rabindranath Tagore The vision articulated by Rabindranath Tagore is all encompassing in every sense. It has laid down what he considered to be the basic constituents of the heaven of freedom. We can identify eight components of this vision reflected in the poem quoted earlier, which we can attempt to translate into operational terms for Indias vision 2020. Where the mind is without fear Peace and security, internal as well as external, is the first and most essential foundation for the nations future progress. Fearlessness can only be attained when this security extends to cover, over and above our physical safety, our social rights and economic well being, to eliminate all forms of vulnerability and discrimination. Where the head is held high Self-respect and self-esteem are the psychological foundations for the development of individuality and individual initiative, which are the means through which the nation builds its strength and fulfils its aspirations. The nation prospers through the development and flowering of all its citizens as individuals. Health,

education and employment opportunities for all and awareness of our rich spiritual and cultural heritage are the essential bases for fostering self-respect and self-esteem. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls The spirit of globalization which is rapidly reshaping the world today cannot be better expressed. The accelerated flow and exchange of trade, capital, technology, information and people will create unprecedented opportunities for the progress and prosperity of all countries that can transcend the narrow confines of national boundaries. India can however realize its full potential in the wider world only when it is internally united, surmounting all the centrifugal forces that overlook our common heritage and accentuate our differences. Where words come out from the depth of truth Integrity, honesty and trustworthiness are the essential foundations for a successful democracy and a prosperous society. Both good governance and commercial success demand rigorous standards of transparency, accountability and reliability in word and action. Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Prosperity is the result of Productivity and efficiency which require the highest level of productive skills, technological excellence and human effort. Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Nations develop by choosing the best the future has to offer, while being willing to discard outmoded ideas and behaviors that retard future progress and even threaten to undermine the countrys unity and strength. Where the mind is led forward by the into ever-widening thought and action Education, innovation and creativity are the ultimate driving forces for the continuous advancement of scientific knowledge and material accomplishment. These threads from. Rabindranaths poem is the vital strands from which a fulfilling vision of India 2020 can be woven.

CONCLUSION
After his speech in Hyderabad, a ten-year-old girl came up to him for his autograph. 'What is your ambition?' he asked her. 'I want to live in a developed India', she replied without hesitation. For us, lets strive hard to build the developed India.

India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation in an advanced state of decay!!!!!