Nicosia (Cyprus): Describing education and health care sectors as essential pillars of a society, President Pratibha Patil has asked NRIs here to participate in social welfare programmes launched by the Indian government.

“We are expanding our education and health care sectors as essential pillars for building a human resource that is educated and healthy,” she said at a reception hosted for her by Indian high commissioner, Ashok Kumar last evening.

Addressing the members of Indian community gathered at the event, the President said that the government has taken up social welfare programmes in whose implementation, civil society and NGOs are important partners.

“This is another field in which Indians abroad can play a role. I hope that you will support these efforts,” Patil, who is here on a two-day visit, said.

Patil, who is the first Indian head of state to visit the island nation in two decades, said India has established its place as a major player in the information technology (IT) sector and its stature is growing in the emerging global order.

“I am confident that in this journey, the Indian diaspora will be active participants,” she said.

“We are undertaking a large-scale expansion of infrastructure in India, which opens numerous opportunities for investment. India is also a large market in which the middle class has been growing. This makes it an attractive market,” the President said.