'Good road infra key to achieve 9% growth'

Aiming for a 9 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 2011, India attaches the "highest priority" to build good road infrastructure across the country to achieve the target, Union Road Transport Minister Kamal Nath has said. 

Inviting Japanese investments for its ambitious road-building plans, Nath sought Japanese government and companies' participation in the "world's biggest road-building project".

Nath, who is on a two-day official visit to Japan, said India "can not achieve" the targeted 9 per cent economic growth by next year without improved road connectivity.

He said meeting the growing demand for infrastructure is the "highest priority" and sought Japanese government and companies' participation in constructing roads across India.

"We are looking for Japan's participation (in the sector) in not only investment but technology," Nath was quoted as saying by Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Citing the importance of infrastructure, he said India is the world's second-biggest producer of fruits and vegetables but 40 per cent of the produce rotted without reaching markets due to poor road connectivity.

The Indian government has an "ambitious" goal of constructing 20,000 kilometers of new roads, 60 per cent of which will be toll roads, Nath said after meeting his Japanese counterpart Seiji Maehara.

"The world's biggest road-building project," which will cost an estimated $15 billion, will be managed jointly by government and the private sector, he said.