We need more exports, less imports: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that India needs to develop an economy that would export more and import less.

He was speaking at a function organised by Vishwa Samwad Kendra here.

"We need an economy where there will be more exports and less imports. We need ethics, value-based lifestyle and modern economic order," he said.

"I have been talking to aircraft-making companies such as Airbus and Boeing for using biofuels in aviation sector. If we succeed (in persuading them to make biofuel-run aircraft), the savings on fuel will be as high as Rs 30,000 crore," he said.

The Union transport minister cited successful trial of a Dehradun to Delhi flight which used biofuel.

Gadkari also said that our burgeoning population is a problem.

"When several fly-overs were constructed in Mumbai (during his stint as PWD minister in Maharashtra), it was thought that traffic issues will be solved. But the number of vehicles has gone up and the problem continued," he said.

Talking about his vision for transportation, he said, "The priority is for waterways, then railway, followed by roads. The air-traffic is the last option.

"We are exploring 111 river routes for transportation of goods while 14 highways are being built with a capacity to support emergency landing of aircraft," he said.

"If we could save at least 10 per cent cost of logistics, we will be able to save thousands of crores of rupees. This is possible only through waterways," he said.