[India] Poverty-free India in 20 years: PM

from IBN

Mahbubnagar (Andhra Pradesh): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday asserted that poverty, illiteracy and unemployment would be eradicated from the country in 10 to 20 years.

Speaking at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for the four-lane of the stretch of Nagpur-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Bangalore section on North-South Corridor at Kothakota in this district, Dr Singh said, India was developing at a rapid pace.

''A growth rate of eight to nine per cent, which was not considered feasible a few years ago, was not only possible now but we can hope to grow further at ten per cent in the near future,'' he said.

''With such rapid growth, it is our expectation that in ten to 20 years, we will remove poverty and other social problems from the country'', Dr Singh added.