Page 10 - Nitin Gadkari

UP govt assures Centre of timely resolution of issues in NH projects

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday assured the Centre of timely resolution of any issues in the execution of national highway projects in the state, an official statement said. At a meeting to review the progress of national highway projects here, the chief minister also said that departmental land will be provided free of charge for the expansion of national highways in Uttar Pradesh. Adityanath also placed a list of requirements related to national highways in the state before Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The chief minister assured the central government that any issues in the implementation of national highways in the state would be resolved in a timely manner and the process of land acquisition and compensation distribution would be completed within the stipulated time. According to the statement, Adityanath underlined that the expansion of national highways will not stop in the state. He told the meeting that in 2017, the st

Logistics cost will be below 9% of GDP by April next year, says Gadkari

India's logistics cost will come down to 9 per cent of GDP by April next year, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday. Addressing an event here, Gadkari further said the country's exports will also increase when the logistics cost comes down to single digit. "Our logistics cost now is 16 per cent...It will come down to 9 per cent by April next year," he said. However, according to quick estimates of economic think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the logistics cost in India ranged from 7.8 per cent to 8.9 per cent of GDP in 2021-22. The road transport and highways minister noted that Indian economy needs to create more jobs. While noting that earlier governments did not give enough attention to rural sector, he said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is giving more priority to the agriculture sector. "We need to increase our agriculture growth...We need to increase per capita income in rural areas," Gadkari said. The minister n

Govt to allow 35% bio-bitumen mixing, saving Rs 10,000 cr in forex outflows

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will allow mixing of lignin up to 35 per cent in petroleum-based bitumen, a large part of which is imported from other countries. Bitumen is a black substance produced through the distillation of crude oil and is widely used for making roads and roofs. "We have the largest road network in the world. 90 per cent of roads are using bituminous layers. Bitumen consumption in 2023-24 was 88 lakh tonnes. In 2024-25 it is expected to be 100 lakh tonnes. 50 per cent of the bitumen is imported. And annual import cost is Rs 25,000-30,000 crore," Gadkari said while replying to questions in Rajya Sabha. The minister said the farmers are now not only producing foodgrains but they have become energy producers. Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, had developed bio-bitumen from paddy straw. The minister expressed concern that there is a problem of air pollution in Delhi

Projects worth Rs 3 trn to be awarded by road ministry in 3 months: Gadkari

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said his ministry will award road contracts worth Rs 3 lakh crore within three months and close the current financial year with contracts worth Rs 5 lakh crore. Addressing an event here, Gadkari said because of the Lok Sabha elections and the model code of conduct, the speed of awarding road projects was slow in the initial months of the current financial year. "I assure you, within three months, we will finalise the (road) contracts more than Rs 3 lakh crore, and our target is to award over Rs 5 lakh crore of (road) contracts by March 2025," he said. Gadkari noted that the road ministry has a lot of road projects in the pipeline, and raising funds for the projects will not be a problem, as NHAI has a very good reputation in the capital market. The minister said NHAI's present toll income is Rs 45,000 crore and in the next two years, it will go up to Rs 1.4 lakh crore. "We are monetising the road assets by which we are

Abolish tax on life, health insurance premiums: Gadkari writes to FM

Gadkari said in his letter that he is writing to the finance minister following a memorandum from the Nagpur Divisional Life Insurance Corporation Employees Union

Please remove GST on life, medical insurance premiums: Nitin Gadkari to FM

In a letter addressed to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari requested the removal of 18 per cent GST on life and medical insurance premiums.

NHAI not facing financial crises, pre-paid Rs 15,700 cr bank loan: Gadkari

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is not facing any financial crises and has drawn up a plan to service its debt through improved inflows of toll revenue and asset monetisation, Parliament was informed on Thursday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "NHAI is not facing any financial crises which is evident from the fact that NHAI has pre-paid bank loan to the tune of Rs 15,700 crore through InvIT monetisation proceeds - Rs 6,350 crore in the last financial year and Rs 9,350 crore in July 2024," he added. NHAI's debt stands at Rs 3.35 lakh crore. Gadkari said the government has not mandated NHAI to raise funds since FY2023-24. "Thus, the debt reduction has started," he said. The minister also said that NHAI has drawn up a plan to service its debt through improved inflows of toll revenue and asset monetisation. "The amount raised through the InvIT mode is used exclusively for debt repayment," Gadkari ...

CM Naidu demands announcement of BPCL refinery for Andhra in Budget

In his meeting with Nitin Gadkari, Naidu sought support for construction of the Outer Ring Road project in Amaravati, widening of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway and support for other road projects

CM Naidu scheduled to meet PM Modi, likely to discuss funds for Amaravati

Sources in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) underlined that it was Naidu's first visit to the national capital after taking oath as the Andhra chief minister last month

Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi urges Gadkari to complete work on highway in Jorhat

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has urged Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to intervene and take immediate action to complete the Teok-Sivasagar highway in Jorhat as its condition was "deplorable ". In a video appeal from the site of the under-construction highway, Gogoi said the work was delayed by several years and frequent accidents and long traffic jams had become common. The highway falls under Gogoi's Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress MP said the Teok-Sivasagar highway is an important road in the Jorhat region, critical for boosting connectivity. "Work for several portions of the road has been 'ongoing' for the past several years. The condition of the road is deplorable. From frequent accidents to long traffic jams, this portion is affected with several issues," he said in the video posted on X. Gogoi said several contractors were brought in and left the job midway and multiple work tenders had been issued to no effect. People are facing se

Siddaramaiah to meet PM Modi on June 29 during 3-day visit to Delhi

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 29 during his three-day visit to the national capital to discuss with Union Ministers state projects pending approval from the Centre. "I will be meeting the Road Transport Minister (Nitin Gadkari), also Prime Minister and the Home Minister (Amit Shah). Will also try to meet the Finance Minister (Nirmala Sitharaman). The Home Minister has still not given the time and he might give today. Will also try to meet Railway Minister (Ashwini Vaishnaw) and Jal Shakti Minister (C R Paatil)," he told reporters here. He said the Prime Minister has given an appointment on June 29. The Chief Minister, who is leaving for the national capital today, has convened a meeting of MPs and Union Ministers elected from the state in the national capital this evening to discuss projects related to Karnataka pending Centre's nod. "We will share the list of projects pending at the centr

Nitin Gadkari asks industries to establish skill development institutes

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday urged industries to initiate skill development institutes to create a skilled and industry-ready workforce. Addressing the CII-Industry Academia Conclave in Nagpur, Gadkari emphasised the need for collaboration between industry and academia to develop skilled manpower. "Coordination between industry and academia is essential for the skill development of students and enhancing manpower," he stated. Gadkari suggested that industries should progressively establish their own skill development centres, as well as engineering and polytechnic colleges, to provide both knowledge and practical experience, thereby making students more skilful. He acknowledged the issue of skilled manpower shortage in industries while educated individuals remain unemployed, attributing this to a lack of coordination and communication between educational institutions and the industry. "I am of the opinion that step by step, deemed ...

NHAI to start work on Rs 4,000-cr Chattergala tunnel in J-K: Nitin Gadkari

The NHAI will begin work on the Rs 4,000-crore Chattergala tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. Gadkari on Monday chaired a review meeting that was also attended by Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh. "The prestigious Chhatergala tunnel work, costing about Rs 4,000 crore, will be executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the underpasses on the Kathua express corridor section, wherever demanded by the public, will be undertaken at the earliest," an official spokesperson said after the review meeting. During the meeting, Singh thanked Gadkari for accepting most of the suggestions and proposals put across by him. Singh said the proposal for the tunnel was initiated about six years ago and the detailed project report prepared by the Border Roads Organisation but the work could not be started due to a lack of funds. Now, it has been decided

Tata Punch and Nexon score perfect 5 in first BNCAP EV crash test

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced an indigenous star-rating system for crash-testing cars

Nitin Gadkari takes charge as Minister of Road Transport and Highways

Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday took charge as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Gadkari conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reassigning him this role in Modi 3.0 and remarked that India will be equipped with world-class, modern infrastructure at an accelerated pace under Modi Ji's visionary leadership. Gadkari, popularly referred to as the 'Highway Man of India', is credited with the construction of more than 54,858 km of national highways in the country in the last 10 years. The 67-year-old leader from Nagpur in Maharashtra has been the longest serving road transport & highways minister. Under his leadership, the road ministry aims to complete the construction of 1,386-km Delhi-Mumbai Express by December this year. The former BJP president -- closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- has won three consecutive times from the Nagpur seat, which houses the RSS ...

Modi 3.0 full list: Shah, Rajnath, Sitharaman, Gadkari retain portfolios

The top four ministries remain same with Amit Shah as the home minister, Rajnath Singh as defence minister, Dr S Jaishankar as external affairs minister, and Nirmala Sitharaman as finance minister

Modi 3.0: Nitin Gadkari claims his domain for the third straight time

Gadkari is the only minister in Modi cabinet with 10+ years in the same ministry

Modi-led NDA govt must tackle unemployment: NITI Aayog's ex-VC Rajiv Kumar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-NDA government in its third term must tackle the problem of unemployment in the country, especially in the unorganised sector and in small and medium enterprises, former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Monday. Kumar also emphasised that the government now must finalise the four labour codes as it has been delayed beyond expectations. "We must recognise that post-COVID economic recovery has been a K-shaped recovery. I think the most important reforms that the Modi government must take is one to tackle the unemployment problem, especially in the unorganised and the small and medium enterprises," he told PTI in an interview. According to a recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report, the share of unemployed youths in India's total unemployed population was nearly 83 per cent in 2022. "Therefore the large corporations have done very well and, and also those who are highly skilled have done well. But at the lower end, people are ..

How are Modi's ministers doing in the 2024 Lok Sabha election results?

Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, Anurag Thakur, Rajeev Chandrasekhar are among the ministers contesting these Lok Sabha 2024 elections. This is what trends indicate for their seats

Maharashtra: BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) leading in 11 seats, Cong ahead in 10

The BJP is leading in 11 seats, Shiv Sena in six and NCP in one seat in Maharashtra, while the Congress is ahead in 10, Shiv Sena (UBT) in 11 as per the latest trends of counting for 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is leading in eight seats. Independent Vishal Patil, who rebelled against the Congress to contest from Sangli, had established a comfortable lead. Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal were leading in the Nagpur and Mumbai North Lok Sabha seats, while their colleague Raosaheb Danve had a slender lead in Jalna. Union ministers Kapil Patil, Bharti Pawar and Narayan Rane were trailing in Bhiwandi, Dindori and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seats, respectively. Maharashtra Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is trailing in Chandrapur. In Baramati, NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule, who is in a neck-to-neck fight with NCP's Sunetra Pawar, was leading by 5,770 votes. BJP's Udayanraje Bhosale was trailing in Satara. Shiv Sena is leading in six seats, whi