Investment in infrastructure in priority budget: Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari said that the important infrastructure project of the road, shipping, port and inland waterways of the government will be completed by March, 2018, with an investment of Rs 8 lakh crore.

New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that in the coming general budget, investment in agriculture and infrastructure will be given priority. He said that with time the country is moving towards achieving 10% economic growth rate. Gadkari said in a program before the general budget here, "After the ban on cancellation and implementation of GST, the situation is actually changing. Compared to last year, our direct tax collection has increased 18 percent. At the same time, the government's debt has decreased by 30,000 crore, which will help in controlling the fiscal deficit. "

Gadkari said that the growth rate of last quarter has increased to seven per cent. Our goal is to grow more than ten percent. It will take some time. However, the speed at which our economy is growing, I am confident that we will be able to achieve it. Gadkari said that I believe that the Finance Minister will give priority to agriculture and infrastructure investment in the upcoming budget.

The Minister said that the important infrastructure projects of the government's roads, shipping, ports and inland waterways will be completed by March, 2018, with an investment of Rs 8 lakh crore. He said that the speed of road construction will be further expedited. By 28 March, 28 kilometer roads will be constructed every day till March, and by next year it will be 40 kilometers per day.

Gadkari said that his Ministry has sanctioned one lakh crore rupees irrigation projects for the drought affected areas of Maharashtra. He asked the state government to adopt new ways of transport such as waterways. Gadkari said that in the next two years the country will have 10,000 seaplane operations.