Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Namami Gange Nitin Gadkari has assured road projects of around Rs 1lakh crore in the State on Monday.
Gadkari, who was here as chief guest of the programme organised to celebrate 1,000 days of BJP Government in the State, however, put a rider before the Government, saying that the projects would be awarded only after the Government completes all central road projects within time of its five years’ tenure which ends in 2019.
Kick-starting the State Government’s 1,000 days celebration programmes at the Vidhan Sabha ground, Gadkari added that the Government was going to launch three of the five major river inter-linking projects by December this year which was going to help many States, including Jharkhand, a lot in combating lack of water crisis.
The Minister asked Chief Minister Raghubar Das to switch over to alternative sources of fuels like coal-based Methanol, agri-husk based Ethanol and electric driven vehicles.
Pledging Jharkhand with 4-5 times of required funds for irrigation, Gadkari said that Jharkhand needed to augment its irrigation capacity. “Doubling agriculture income of the farmers can’t be achieved on time with merely 20 per cent of irrigation capacity. Therefore, I request the Government to get projects finalised and have it sent to us and we will respond quickly,” assured the Minister.
lauding the Government for sculpting a corruption-free, employment and industry-friendly State in less than 1,000 days which unfortunately remained an emblem of corruption and political instability for over a decade, Gadkari also asked the Government to remove hurdles in land acquisition in the State.
Gadkari launched, unveiled and opened road projects worth over Rs 5,500 crore in State for public on the occasion.
“Tata-Ranchi and Ranchi bypass roads will be completed before December this year anyway. I accept the Chief Minister’s request of providing Rs 200 crore for land acquisition for four laning of Kutchhery to Bijupada, Piska More to Palma and Bijupada to Kudu. I also promise starting of work on Deoghar-Basukinath stretch within a month. Just help me in land acquisitions and I assure of at least 1,000 kms of fresh roads in the State,” said Gadkari.
The Chief Minister, releasing a report card of his Government, sought public participation in his mission of making poverty-free, hunger-free and illiteracy-free Jharkhand.
Das said 8.6 per cent or above State Gross Domestic Products (SGDP) during last two years, over 1 lakh Government jobs and 97 per cent planned capital expenditure were a few milestones clearly indicating where the State had headed to in last 1,000 days.
The programme was attended by all the State Ministers, Union Minister Sudarshan Bhagat, BJP MPs and State BJP MlAs among others.
“We had to start from scratch and had to make rigorous efforts to change everything in the State which we actually did and fruits have started popping up. The State was economically and socially paralysed when we took charge of it at the end of 2014. But we have tried a lot and today I can say that whatever we promised through election manifesto is being achieved step by step and hopefully all will be delivered well within time,” said Das.
“But achievements of these 1,000 days are just path to the destination of making Jharkhand an economic super power. This task is not easy. But mission is very much possible with dedication, hard work and self dependence,” said Das.
Slamming forcible evangelism, the CM said that the Government was committed to protect culture and tradition of the State. “Beautification of over 1,500 Sarna/Masna venues is one of them. I must say that the government is for all,” said Das.
He, however, said that despite no corruption charges on his government in last three years, honesty at various levels remained a challenge. “We have capital, manpower, talent, will power and every thing in the State. But honesty still remains a challenge at various levels. We have come from Scam-Jharkhand to Skill-Jharkhand and I am sure we will overcome this issue too, soon,” said Das.