Union minister for road transport & highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari speaks on the turnaround his ministry has accomplished through innovative decision-making, his progressive agenda and the need for job creation
Nitin Gadkari, 60, minister for road transport & highways and shipping, has been bolstering the Union government’s development agenda. He claims to have helped banks save non-performing assets (NPAs) worth ₹3 lakh crore, thanks to prompt decisions by his ministry. And while he’s busy chalking out plans to make travel hassle-free for commuters, he is averse to driverless cars in India, he tells Forbes India in an interview. Edited excerpts:
Q What have been your ministry’s key achievements?
When I took charge in 2014, we had 403 projects, including stalled projects worth about ₹3.85 lakh crore. We decided to terminate projects worth ₹50,000 crore. As a result, we saved Indian bankers from NPAs of ₹3 lakh crore; that is a great achievement.
Also, when I assumed charge, road construction was [moving at a pace of] 2 km per day. Last March, it was 23 km per day and the average for the past 4-5 months has been 27-28 km a day. We are working towards making 40 km a day a reality. For the first time, we are constructing express highways and work is moving fast on three of them—Delhi-Meerut and the Delhi easterly and westerly bypasses.
This story is from the September 29, 2017 edition of Forbes India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 29, 2017 edition of Forbes India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
