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Our Bureau

`Mine more uranium to make nation a self-reliant on nuclear energy'

New Delhi , Aug. 14

The President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Monday flagged off an agenda for "development with comprehensive security" for the country.

In his address to the nation on the eve of the 60th Independence Day, Mr Kalam called for the need to evolve three specific initiatives — formulating an Energy Independence Bill, a Citizens Security Bill incorporating a campaign for eradication of terrorism and adopting a resolution to transform the country into a "safe, prosperous and socio-economically developed nation before the year 2020."

Energy security

On the issue of energy security, Mr Kalam urged the State Governments to mine more uranium to make the country self-reliant on nuclear energy, boost production of coal, and concentrate on generating bio-diesel and renewable energies.

"A very clear relationship exists between energy security and national security, for if there are inadequate energy supplies or if energy supply cannot be afforded, then the economy of the country will be severely affected."

He said scientists and technologists needed to harness the country's vast thorium resources and work on developing the capability to build thorium-based reactors.

Renewable energy

He called for a national mission in bio-diesel for realising 60 million tonnes per year of bio-diesel by 2030.

"Our goal by 2030 is to generate 50,000 MW of power from renewable energy sources," he said.

He also called for special measures to ensure "a comprehensive, integrated system of security" entailing four major components — territorial security, internal security, energy security and economic security.

"I believe the time has come to synergise our multiple agencies for forecasting and dealing with terrorist activities. We need to evolve a national campaign to eradicate terrorism (NCET) in our nation with mission-oriented integrated management structure and people's participation."

Mr Kalam talked about the need for interlinking of rivers to cope up with increasing incidents of droughts and floods experienced in different parts of the country. "Some parts of the country are experiencing drought conditions, when some other regions are flooded. This has become a periodic phenomenon, lacking any predictability. Once again, this clearly brings out, the need for the interlinking of our rivers for effective utilisation of surplus water in a balanced manner among all geographic regions with enlightened cooperation between the States and the Centre," he said.

To spruce up the agricultural sector, Mr Kalam said there was a need for rural farmers' cooperatives in partnership with banking institutions, on the pattern of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd. He also said there was a need to multiply successful public-private partnership models in the area of healthcare.

The Centre was creating a Pan-African e-network for connecting 53 African countries and planned to extend the services to Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as well, he added.

"Many State Governments are in the process of implementing e-governance services and creating a State-wide area network across their States. I am happy to say that the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has decided to invest Rs 24,000 crore for establishing an e-governance network and Government to citizen services across the country within five years time," he said.

Related Stories:
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Time to evolve campaign to wipe out terrorism: Kalam

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