Gadkari announces nine road projects worth Rs 30,000 crore for Rajasthan

Detailing the nine projects, the minister said the 110-km-long Northern Jaipur Ring Road, entailing an investment of Rs 6,500 crore, has been approved

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced nine new projects worth Rs 30,000 crore for Rajasthan that would lead to construction of a cumulative 800 km of road network in the state.

 

Addressing a session on the second day of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit in Jaipur, Gadkari urged Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to allocate 40 per cent of the developed land adjacent to the proposed North Jaipur bypass to farmers, which would help them financially.

 

Detailing the nine projects, the minister said that the 110-km-long Northern Jaipur Ring Road entailing an investment of Rs 6,500 crore has been approved, as have been the Rs 6,800 crore Kotputli-Agra Greenfield Expressway, Rs 12,000 crore Jaipur-Kishangarh-Jodhpur to Amritsar highway and six others. "The land price increased five times after the construction of roads. I requested you (Rajasthan government) earlier. You make a new Jaipur with the Jaipur Development Authority there. There is another good scheme. Give 40 per cent of the developed land to farmers. They will also get a lot of money," Gadkari said.

 

The minister said that Kotputli to Agra Greenfield Expressway will be completed by September. “The Jaipur-Kishangarh-Jodhpur to Amritsar greenfield highway will be constructed with a cost of Rs 12,000 crore. We are preparing a DPR (detailed project report). Very soon we will start its work," Gadkari said.

 

Earlier in the day, addressing a session on the potential for growth of agri-business in Rajasthan, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the Centre will construct 341,620 houses in the state under the PM Awas Yojana (Grameen) at a cost of Rs 4,099 crore.

 

According to a Rajasthan government press statement, Chouhan said the Centre is emphasising on mechanised farming since farm labour has become increasingly difficult to find. “Additionally, we are focusing on reducing agricultural costs by minimising the use of unnecessary chemical fertilisers,” he said, elaborating on the government’s efforts to encourage sustainable agriculture. Chouhan said the Centre by increasing customs duty on crude palm, soybean, and sunflower oil has helped oilseed farmers.

 

The three-day investment summit will conclude on Wednesday.