Vikhe Patil, who assumed office today, told senior finance ministry officials that the focus henceforth should be on developing the rural infrastructure which would create employment opportunities for the youth.

By developing the rural economy, migration to urban areas could be arrested and pressure on the cities eased, he explained to the senior officers present.

Vikhe Patil's statement assumes importance in the wake of Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's announcement last night that one of the key areas of the new government's priority would be re-orientation of rural development and also redeployment of resources to provide safe drinking water and primary health and education for all.

The Minister asserted that he was committed to reforms in the banking and insurance sector.

Earlier, senior finance ministry officials briefed Vikhe Patil about the working of the department.

A veteran politician, Vikhe Patil was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1971 from Kopargaon Parliamentary constituency. He held the seat right upto the year 1991.

Vikhe Patil won this time from the Ahmednagar Parliamentary constituency.