Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for road transport and highways, spoke with a media publication about the infrastructure, environment and politics of his home state, Maharashtra, which is holding elections on November 20.
How much do voters consider roads while casting their ballots?
In a conversation with Hindustan Times’ national political editor and bureau chief, Sunetra Chaudhary, Nitin Gadkari said, the development of water, power, transportation, and communication infrastructure in a nation draws capital investment, which boosts trade, business, and industry. As per capita income rises, poverty declines. Thus, improved infrastructure is critical to the growth and advancement of the nation. For instance, we rebuilt the old highway that connected the Delhi and Dehradun, which resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in pilgrims. As a result, a (commercial) ecosystem comprising cabs, buses, restaurants and hotels were established and generated jobs.
When we build roads, it brings industries and townships. In an effort to further the nation’s development, my ministry has launched two projects. The 36 green express highways we are building will reduce the by-road distance. We upgraded the capacity of the current roadways and constructed the access control green expressway between Kashmir and Kanyakumari. Second, we prioritized biofuel and alternative fuels over gasoline and diesel. To that end, we have promoted ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, bio-LNG, bio-CNG, electric vehicles, and hydrogen. We are confident that these efforts will reduce the present logistic cost from 14-16% to a single digit amount. Our ability to compete in the export market can be improved. Our exports will rise by a factor of 1.5, and I think these two measures will help us achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of becoming the third largest economy in the world and a $5 trillion economy.
Do you believe that Eco sensitive places are being harmed by multimodal growth, and if so, how would you counteract it?
To further the conversation he stated, this implication is entirely incorrect. How much pollution did it cause when it took nine hours to go from Delhi to Dehradun using fossil fuels like diesel and gasoline? And how much pollution will be produced now that the biofuel and electric vehicles are being used? In addition to reducing pollution, the time saved will also result in fuel savings, which will save money. Secondly, isn’t it critical for the nation’s growth to have more tourists visiting? Such thinking doesn’t prevail anywhere else in the world.
What are those who are criticizing the highway projects doing to address the nation’s pollution-causing import of fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore? I have spent 25 years working on biofuel. We lowered the height of the Gazipur dump in Delhi and utilized the waste in Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, the Delhi-Mumbai highway, and the Urban Extension Road (UER) II. In it, we used 80 lakh tones of garbage. The ecology and development out to co-exist. The ethics, economy and ecology and environment are the three pillars of our society. By preserving the ecosystem and ecology and lowering pollution in the air, water, and land, we have raised the domestic happy human index. In order for our nation to advance as a pollution-free society, where everyone has developmental employment, and where the ecology and environment are improved, we must adopt an integrated approach.
Have you considered a technique to combat rash driving on highways?
The road and vehicle engineering that we had control over has improved. The Motor Safety Act was introduced to strengthen the legislation that permits deterrence and guarantees sound governance. The behavior of people is another. Road accidents are primarily caused by those who don’t respect or fear the law, which is a strange situation. Not wearing helmet, lane discipline violations, and light-jumping. This won’t change if individuals don’t behave differently. Our nation experiences about 5 lakh accidents and 1.5 lakh fatalities annually, costing 3% of GDP. We haven’t been able to reduce traffic accidents, and I acknowledge that. The media can help, and future generations will be better if everyone in society strives to uphold the law, particularly if we specifically train students. I once ate a chocolate while in Switzerland and pocketed the wrapper. That’s what people usually do there, however in India, we dump the wrapper on the ground. To modify our behavior, the media must play a significant role.
Your ministry hinted at changing the policy to scrap 15 year-old petrol cars and 10-year-old diesel ones. Can you tell us more about it?
There is a benefit to the way technology has changed. Ethanol-based automobiles are making their debut on the market as we progressively move toward gas economy and alternative fuel. The ethanol required for these vehicles will be produced by farmers. The impoverished and farmers in remote areas will profit, and pollution will be almost nonexistent. In the future, there will be a change that will affect everyone. We must limit pollution, don’t we? Instead of annadata, shouldn’t we let our farmers and rural residents become the suppliers of gasoline, bitumen, aviation fuel, hydrogen, and energy? Does the Indian economy stand to gain from it?
Therefore, to reduce pollution, we should acquire new cars and scrap those that are more than 15 years old. Additionally, we implemented a strategy that offers a 2-3% discount for purchasing new cars once the old ones are scrapped. I’m trying to persuade banks to provide post-scraping car buyers some interest-saving alternatives. Everyone benefits from it.
You are saying that there would be no change in the policy to scrap older vehicles
Based on the recommendations made, we are willing to make the scrapping policy better using a realistic approach.
In terms of politics, the Maharashtra election pits Mahayuti against Maha Vikas Aghadi, with blocs of three parties on each side. Two parties have divided into two factions for the first time. Is this election special, in your opinion?
In Maharashtra, we are now stronger. There are now three forces. The Ladki Bahin Yojana has had a positive effect, and the Maharashtra government has performed admirably. As a result, I am confident that the Mahayuti will win hands down and that our administration will be established. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the federal government accomplished in ten years what the Congress was unable to accomplish in sixty years for the impoverished, women, and rural populace.
You claim that your strength has grown, therefore why didn’t we witness it during the June general elections in Maharashtra, when the BJP’s support declined? What is the difference between then and now that you see?
Through false advertising, the Congress deceived the public into believing that the Constitution would be altered if it gained 400 members. We have no intention of changing the Constitution, and we will not do so. However, the Congress party made many attempts to amend the Constitution. The misinformation caused us to suffer some losses. People now realize that there has been no change to the Constitution. This time, I think we’ll win by a significant margin.
This election, the family aspect is quite apparent. The division of power between families disturbs people. After breaking with Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar joined your (BJP) team.
Although I admire Sharad Pawar, he is the one who tried to dismantle Maharashtra’s political parties. Among other parties, he split the Congress and Shiv Sena. A philosophy is more important than a party, a person is more important than money, and a party is more important than a person. Inspired by JP Narayan, I entered politics during the emergency. I’m not going to give in on that. Prioritizing politics based on ideology and philosophy is crucial for bolstering our democracy and enacting positive change. Political party splits and defections are becoming frequent occurrences. Some run for office under various poll symbols in each election. Every party ought to make an effort to buck the trend.
There are many rebels this time. How is BJP dealing with this issue?
Today’s politics are characterized by the fact that we are opportunists, neither left nor right. These days, politics is a profession. In the past, we engaged in politics for the benefit of the poor, rural communities, farmers, and society.
What role will the Maratha factor play in the election for the assembly? What do you think about the call for a caste census?
In my opinion, a person can only achieve greatness based on their unique talents, not their caste, religion, language, or sex. Socioeconomic equality must be achieved, and casteism and untouchability must be eradicated from society. Being backward has turned into a political interest; everyone wants to demonstrate their backwardness. Anyone discussing this is not advocating for their community’s advancement. If everyone is aware of the factors that contribute to the development of the nation, we will prosper. We look at an actor’s acting, not his caste, and we verify the efficacy of a doctor’s prescription before seeking his help. When we go to a restaurant, we check the food’s taste. Instead of trying to destroy society, we should try to integrate it.
