Modi govt has rolled out Rs 3.8 lakh crore struck highway projects, says Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari has termed 'fast-decision making', online clearances, and policy intervention as corrective steps behind the roll out of majority of the Rs 3.8 lakh crore stuck highways projects.
According to the Union Minster of Road Transport and Highways, expediting decision-making process as well as policy interventions by the Modi-led government led to fast-tracking of projects.

"There were 283 stalled projects worth Rs 3.8 lakh crore at the time I took over the reins of the ministry... For two- and-a-half years, the previous Environment and Forest Minister did not sign a single file...majority of the projects were stuck on account of forest clearances and regulatory hurdles," Gadkari said at the AIMA management convention.

"We scrapped about 20 archaic laws which had no relevance today and are following four important initiatives led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- innovation, entrepreneurship, e-governance and development oriented policies," he added.

"You can donate eye but not the vision", Gadkari said, adding that managers whether in corporate or government have to take decision and "we need to change the attitude".

"In the last one year, more than Rs 1.35 lakh crore projects have been awarded in the highways sector, NHAI is doing massive work on Rs 3.8 lakh crore projects and Rs 1 lakh crore worth of work is being done in the North Eastern region," he added.

He said 'transparency' and 'e-governance' were visible in his ministry.

Gadkari has also urged ministers to concentrate on rural and agriculture sector. He claimed, his ministry has undertaken a novel initiative under which 1% of a highway project would be earmarked for the greening of India's about 1 lakh km of National Highways network.

The Highways Ministry is bound to undertake plantation work worth Rs 5,000 crore in the next five years to provide green cover to India's National Highways as it plans to undertake road projects worth Rs 5 lakh crore during the period.

He said at least 5 lakh rural youth would gain employment under the scheme. The minister had yesterday unveiled the "Green Highways Policy" for plantation along the National Highways.

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