New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal has pitched for a development model for India which would not just help boost the country's economy but also promote and preserve its culture, traditions and value system.

In the past, India was a far greater industrial and manufacturing nation than any other in Asia, but unfortunately people of the country did not know about it and relied on what foreigners said, Gopal said on Friday while addressing an international conference.

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The event was organised by Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan, a unit of RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch, in collaboration with some national and international academic institutions.

"Any economic progress will not be enough. With economic progress, sanskar, value system and spiritual upliftment are also needed... We must ensure that our country's ideological foundation and culture are also maintained," Gopal said.

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India is witnessing progress in various sectors and has become the the world's fifth largest economy, but about 57 per cent women and 67 per cent children are anaemic, he said.

"India has the world's largest number of people below the poverty line... About 25 per cent children have stunted growth, which means they don't get adequate food... When such is the situation, we cannot accept that the country is making good progress. It is painful and worrisome," he said.

The senior RSS functionary said the country's development model should also keep in mind farmers and agriculture.

"Agriculture is not profitable... If agriculture has to be made viable, we have to ensure that farmers get a good price for their produce. That is why they keep demanding MSP (minimum support price)," he added.

Gopal said industries should be set up at such locations that they can provide jobs to people living in villages, he said.

"Then those who become engineers, doctors and professors will go to cities and others who want to earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 will stay near their villages," he added.

The RSS functionary also made a strong pitch for making education completely free, saying it was the case in India during the ancient times.

Addressing the event virtually, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India is witnessing rapid development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and moving towards becoming the world's third largest economy.

Under PM Modi's leadership, efforts are on to make a "wealthy, prosperous, glorious and powerful Bharat", he said.

The production of food grains has increased so much that it is not only meeting the country's requirement but is also being sent abroad. The Centre has adopted a multi-pronged approach to increase production and decrease production cost, he said.

Chouhan said the government is taking steps to make villages in India "developed and self-reliant".

Efforts are being made to provide basic amenities to villagers like road connectivity, pucca houses, potable water and local markets, etc., the minister said.

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