Ahmedabad, March 26 (IANS) India's space programme has a vital role in realising sustainable development, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday, asking the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to give priority to tele-education, tele-medicine and village resource centre services.

"The space programme has a vital role to play in making the concept of sustainable development a reality," he said, stressing the importance of space-based observation systems, development of newer class of environment and monitoring sensors and study of weather-related phenomena.

Addressing ISRO scientists linked countrywide from its facility here, the prime minister said space-based applications are a very potent means of bridging the divides in society through reducing the cost of access to space. "This requires expediting the development of heavy lift launchers, advanced propulsion systems, including the cryogenic stage, and recoverable and reusable launch systems. We should pay greater attention to the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Programme," he said.

"Empowerment requires that we ensure space services are available to all sections of society. Access to information should be easy. In the years ahead ISRO should make a conscious effort to reach out to beneficiaries and consumers of space products so that they can extract maximum advantage from the technology that is available in the country," he added.

He lauded the space infrastructure built by ISRO but stressed on the need to master newer technologies for more sophisticated communication satellites. "Satellite-based broadband internet services could bring about a new technological revolution that directly benefits rural and remote areas," he added.

The prime minister offered all support to ISRO to enable it to promote scientific discoveries, and remain at the cutting edge of technology.

"You will have the government's support in your quest to better understand the solar system and universe, and in the continuing discovery of space," he added.