I am delighted that The Australian National University is holding the 2004 Narayanan Oration on the theme ‘India — On the Growth Turnpike’ on April 27, 2004.

Today the GDP growth rate is about 8 per cent; it has to grow to 10 per cent and then be sustained for a decade. This is possible only by enriching 70 per cent of our population which lives in six hundred thousand villages. To realise this transformation, the nation is poised for the execution of PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) programme. This programme aims at bridging the rural urban divide and achieving balanced socio-economic development. PURA consists of four connectivities: physical, electronic, knowledge, all three of which lead to economic connectivity. This will enhance the prosperity of the village clusters. Economic connectivity will generate markets and production establishments for serving them. PURA has all the ingredients to be a business enterprise with global dimensions.

My greetings and felicitation to all those associated with the University. I wish the Oration all success.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
New Delhi 2004