Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Monday he was optimistic on the 7-percent GDP growth this year and his government will unleash a new green revolution to obtain fast agricultural growth.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 58th Independence Day, Singh said he was confident that if this momentum of growth is maintained in the next 5-10 years, it would be possible to eradicate poverty, ignorance, hunger and disease from the country.

"This is not a dream but something that is possible in our times," he said.

Stating that employment generation is a key commitment of the government, the prime minister said the national rural employment guarantee bill would be tabled in parliament soon.

Singh said, in order to promote agricultural growth, the government is considering to set up a national authority to tackle problems of farmers in dry land areas.

The growth in agriculture should be faster because about 60 percent of the population are dependent on agriculture, the prime minister said.

Source: Xinhua