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Border fencing top priority, says Indian president

PALLAB BHATTACHARYA, New Delhi
Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam yesterday said security along the country's border with Bangladesh is one of the priorities of the government.
"Government has accorded top priority to erection of fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border to check infiltration, smuggling and all antiIndia activities from across the border," he said in a joint session of parliament marking the start of its budget session.
The president also spoke of 'special and warm' relationship with Bangladesh and said that India will
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reaffirm its commitment to realising the potential of Saarc in the coming summit.
Asserting that India's ties with Pakistan are of 'utmost importance' for peace, stability and prosperity, Kalam said the normalisation process is 'critically' dependent on Islamabad's pledge to end support to terrorist activities.
"In proposing a range of steps, including confidence building measures that may be taken in the near term, leading up to longer term economic cooperation, we are responding to the felt desire of our peoples," the president said.
In his 24-page speech, Kalam said Indian economy is poised to grow at seven per cent in 2004-5 despite weaker monsoon and higher oil prices.
He said the government was committed to reining in the rate of inflation 'as it hurts the poor the most'.
Asserting the government's commitment to give a new deal to rural India, Kalam said this involves, among other things, reversing declining investment in irrigation and wasteland development, creating single market for farm produce, rural health care and education and promoting rural roads and electrification.
Besides insuring against risk in farming and rural business, commodities' future markets need to be set up, he said.
Another area of special attention for the government is employment, he said adding that the policies aimed at increasing investment and stepping up the growth rate of agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and services will undoubtedly generate new job opportunities.
The national employment guarantee programme providing 100 days of job to one person in every poor household will be gradually expanded to cover all rural areas, he said.
The budget will be presented on Monday next.