Chennai, Sept 11: Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said yesterday he intended to ensure that the economy grows at eight per cent and stated that he was willing to tolerate any debate or dissent over it, as long as it did not come in the way of achieving it.

Inaugurating SPEL Semiconductor Ltd's new state-of-the-art IC package the Leadless Moulded Package on the SPEL factory premises at Maraimalai Nagar on the outskirts of the city, he said, "It is my intention to ensure that we continue to grow at eight per cent and I am willing to tolerate any debate and dissent, as long as it does not come in the way of eight per cent growth. It is possible to grow at even more than eight per cent."

He said the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of IT and Communications have put together a package for the hardware industry, which is expected to be announced in a few weeks.

"This could be announced after the Prime Minister's return from the US," he said.

Chidambaram said India should produce goods that are now being produced across the world. "It is possible that technology eludes us for a while. But I have great faith that we can do anything and just as better as what is being done anywhere in the world," he said.

Assembly and testing is a very initial technological step in the chain of hardware production. "Ultimately, in two years time, we must set up chip manufacturing facilities and lab facilities that equal any facility in the world," he said.

He also pointed out to the manufacturing industry that IT was taking away most of the engineers in the country. "If every engineering graduate who passes out become IT engineers, who will look after mining, metallurgy and manufacturing? Who will set up industries? We must pay attention to our human resources," he said.

He further said, "We need high quality, first grade human resources that will meet the challenges of a global India."

Chidambaram also said that India must focus on research and development. "R and D is the heart of any technology-driven business. We must build an India Knowledge Society."

"We must become a knowledge inventing society, a knowledge producing and a knowledge sharing society," he said.

The Finance Minister also pointed out that Indians are leaders in world class organisations and institutions. "We must create a climate here in India where they can come back and work and create world class organizations."

"This country must open its doors to anyone who has knowledge and make India a Knowledge society," he said. (Our Correspondent)