Hyderabad: Showering encomiums on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy for his vision in launching `jalayagnam', Prime Minister Manmohan Singh likened him to Sir Arthur Cotton who ushered in green revolution in coastal districts by building a barrage on the Godavari 150 years ago.

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation for a Rs 1,800 crore project to four-laning of the stretch of Nagpur-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Bangalore Highways as part of North South corrider near Kothakota in Mahabubnagar district, he said Sir Arthur Cotton achieved a miracle in a few districts but YSR while emulating him, took up several new and pending irrigation projects across the state.

He expressed confidence that YSR will transform Telangana, which is backward in the context of irrigation to a more prosperous region.

Predicting a glorious future for the Indian economy, the economist-turned politician Singh expressed hope that the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would touch 10 per cent in near future. He recalled that a few years ago a GDP of 8 to 9 per cent was inconceivable. But this was possible now and soon expecting 10 per cent growth rate. With such a rapid growth, he said we can remove the scourges of poverty, illiterac and unemployment in the next two decades.

Referring to the progress achieved in road, irrigation and power sectors, the Prime Minsiter said that those projects generated lakhs of jobs. They would further boost the agricultural production, industrial growth and completely change the prospects for the country after their completion.

He expressed confidence that the agricultural produce of Southern Region will find new markets and there will be an increase in the industrial growth and also the employment potential. Every small town and locality, through which the road passes, will witness growth like in Hyderabad, he said.

Highlighting the importance of the private participation in infrastructure development, Singh said that the nation needed high class infrastructure. "We have expanded the road programme,which cost Rs 2.20 lakh crore, and a vast majority of it is being built with public-private partnership", he added.