Meanwhile in Parliament, Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss said in a written statement that an intensive public awareness campaign will be launched all over the country involving all media.

"All high-risk groups will be covered by targeted interventions, (and) in each district, free voluntary counselling and testing centres, sexually transmitted diseases clinics, prevention of parent to child transmission centres and modernised blood banks will be set up," Ramadoss said.

A state-wise break up of the number of full-blown AIDS cases in the country, announced in parliament, showed an increase from 21,704 cases in 2003 to 91,080 cases till October in 2004.

Officials from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), a body coordinating the countrywide campaign, said it was a positive sign.

"There has been a lot of awareness spreading, counselling and testing that had been happening during the past one year. As a result, many more people are now coming forward," said a NACO official.

Ramadoss' statement in parliament categorised 14 states till now considered "low prevalence states" as "highly vulnerable states" taking into account large population size, extent of migrant labour and weaker health infrastructure.

They are: Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Uttaranchal.

India is estimated to have a total of 5.1 million HIV positive people, making the country home to the second largest number of people suffering from HIV in the world. South Africa, which tops the list, has 5.3 million estimated HIV cases.

This year, the theme for the World AIDS Day is "Women, girls, HIV and AIDS" since the number of HIV-infected women has risen sharply over the past few years.

Of the total 39.4 million people living with HIV the world over, 17.6 million are estimated to be women and 2.2 million children, a report released by UNAIDS and WHO last week said.

In the national capital, an "AIDS Awareness Run" held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital was attended by Ramadoss, Sports Minister Sunil Dutt and Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister Oscar Fernandes.

Over 8,000 school and college students and AIDS patients participated in the event, by running three kilometres around the stadium.

In another event, film star Johnny Lever joined young children as they sang and danced at a "teen educators' programme" conducted by the Church of North India at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

"As a performing artist, I think it is very crucial for public figures to recognise the impact they can have on society and lend a helping hand to make people aware of the growing problem of HIV/AIDS," he said at the event.

Some 3,000 candles were lit near the Jantar Mantar in central Delhi Tuesday night, as AIDS workers remembered victims of the disease.

"It has been more than 18 years since we have seen the first AIDS care. The government must now try to provide anti-retro viral treatment for all people who are suffering from AIDS, so that we can come to grips with the disease," said Ravi Kant, a spectator.

Special shows were put up at all the major railway stations in Mumbai while civic authorities organised painting exhibitions and seminars to educate the people about the disease.

Meanwhile, the high prevalence state of Nagaland saw scores of volunteers holding placards and pamphlets going from door to door to educate the people about AIDS. Special prayers for HIV and AIDS patients were also held at various churches.

--Indo-Asian News Service