NEW DELHI, Sept 30:
Corrective steps by the Modi government have led to roll out of majority of the Rs 3.8 lakh crore stuck highways projects, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.
Fast-tracking of projects could be made possible because of expediting decision-making process as well as policy interventions, the Road Transport and Highways Minister said.
“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.
He said ‘fast-decision making’, online clearances, policy intervention and other measures led to the roll out of majority of the projects barring 41 which were terminated and 10-12 of which are in final stages of roll out.
“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 said.
“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”.
He said most of the files previously were entangled in bureaucratic dragnet and positive changes were now brought in.
“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.
“I urge the managers here to concentrate on rural and agriculture sector,” he said, adding that his ministry has undertaken a novel initiative under which 1 per cent 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. (PTI)
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