Nagpur: Nitin Gadkari, the Union Transport Minister has resolved to go green in his second term and intends to plant 125 crore trees, equal to the population of India, along national highways. He believed this initiative will significantly benefit the environment.
Nagpur: Nitin Gadkari, the Union Transport Minister has resolved to go green in his second term and intends to plant 125 crore trees, equal to the population of India, along national highways. He believed this initiative will significantly benefit the environment.
Interacting with the media at his residence on his return to the city after taking charge as Union Minister, Gadkari said he would complete all the ongoing highway projects by 2022. He also said that the work on some have already started, while it will soon begin on others within three years. Gadkari was confident about increasing the rate of highway construction to 32 km per day. About 2,000 roadside plazas with amenities along national highways are in the pipeline. One of Gadkari's top priorities is the early completion of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway with reportedly around 60 percent of the contracts awarded, while the rest is to be done within a month.
On Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Gadkari opined that the industrial growth of the country was not satisfactory and he will try to increase it through his Ministry. He claimed that he has several innovative ideas in his mind like exporting Khadi cloth, drumstick powder and so on. Being the Water Resources Minister in his last term, a general opinion prevailed that there were fears that the irrigation projects of the State getting Central assistance may suffer as the portfolio had been given to another person. But Gadkari allayed the fears saying that the new Minister was his friend and funds would not be a problem.
Earlier Gadkari was given a grand welcome by the BJP leaders and workers in the airport. The Guardian Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule had asked all the BJP MLAs and MLCs of the district to be present in the airport along with party supporters. MLAs Sudhakar Kohale, Sudhakar Deshmukh, Krishna Khopade, Milind Mane, DM Reddy, MLC Anil Sole, Mayor Nanda Jichkar and others greeted Gadkari.
Party cadres were cheerful and raised slogans hailing BJP's victory in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, lauding Prime Minister Modi and Gadkari. Office-bearers, city folk and other BJP members felicitated Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Interacting with the media at his residence on his return to the city after taking charge as Union Minister, Gadkari said he would complete all the ongoing highway projects by 2022. He also said that the work on some have already started, while it will soon begin on others within three years. Gadkari was confident about increasing the rate of highway construction to 32 km per day. About 2,000 roadside plazas with amenities along national highways are in the pipeline. One of Gadkari's top priorities is the early completion of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway with reportedly around 60 percent of the contracts awarded, while the rest is to be done within a month.
On Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Gadkari opined that the industrial growth of the country was not satisfactory and he will try to increase it through his Ministry. He claimed that he has several innovative ideas in his mind like exporting Khadi cloth, drumstick powder and so on. Being the Water Resources Minister in his last term, a general opinion prevailed that there were fears that the irrigation projects of the State getting Central assistance may suffer as the portfolio had been given to another person. But Gadkari allayed the fears saying that the new Minister was his friend and funds would not be a problem.
Earlier Gadkari was given a grand welcome by the BJP leaders and workers in the airport. The Guardian Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule had asked all the BJP MLAs and MLCs of the district to be present in the airport along with party supporters. MLAs Sudhakar Kohale, Sudhakar Deshmukh, Krishna Khopade, Milind Mane, DM Reddy, MLC Anil Sole, Mayor Nanda Jichkar and others greeted Gadkari.
Party cadres were cheerful and raised slogans hailing BJP's victory in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, lauding Prime Minister Modi and Gadkari. Office-bearers, city folk and other BJP members felicitated Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.