India, Sept. 10 -- Science and technology alone can make India a global leader, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday, delivering the fifth memorial lecture in honour of former President and Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

"Science and technology are the only things that can make India a Vishwaguru and the largest economy," Gadkari said.

He also spoke about how agricultural stress and rural distress is primarily due to the water crisis. "But there is no shortage of water in the country," he said, adding that earlier governments did not give it enough priority.

"I tell you with great responsibility that the first priority was irrigation, and if irrigation was done...