Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday announced that the government will spend Rs. 15,000 crores to develop road infrastructure in the Northeast region.
Gadkari, who is on a four-day visit to the Northeast states accompanied by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, laid the foundation stone in Arunachal Pradesh for the construction of five major two-lane highway projects with total length of 542.27 km which will cost Rs 6,000 crore.
Gadkari and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki also inaugurated 32.50 km long Stilwell road section from Jairampur to Pangsu Pass in the Indo-Myanmar border.
"The Trans-Arunachal highway is one of the biggest road development projects in India and today with the laying of the foundation stone, it is worth more than Rs.3, 000 crores. Nitin Gadkari has also committed Rs.5000 more to be supported and funded by the ministry of road transport and highways. That means Arunachal Pradesh is going to get maximum number of funding in terms of road construction in next five years period. So for Northeast the Government of India has given lots of impetus and importance and we are going to see a great development in terms of road infrastructure in Northeastern region in next five years time," said Rijiju.
Gadkari, meanwhile, emphasized on how infrastructure development projects will generate employment for the locals.
"We are undergoing work of hundreds of crores and people from here start working, they will get employment. I will also request the people who have strayed from the mainstream that they should come back and work for the development. When roads will be built, industries will come here and employment will be generated. This will reduce poverty and your lives will improve," said Gadkari.
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The Union Minister later visited Assam where he laid down foundation stones of 10 mega highway projects; worth Rs. 5,300 crores at a function at Pulibor in Jorhat. The inaugurated projects include seven four-laning highways and three two-laning highways.
The ceremony was attended by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal and other state ministers. Addressing the event, Gadkari also assured financial assistance from the Centre for developing Inland Water Transport in Brahmaputra River.