In an interview with India Today, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari openly discussed toll tax, trolling, Delhi pollution, retirement, and development plans.
New Delhi: In an interview with India Today, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari frankly shared his views on pollution, toll taxes, trolling, highway construction, organic farming, politics, and retirement. He explained how changes are being made in the transport sector to tackle Delhi's suffocating air and how he views memes related to toll taxes.
Gadkari's Concern Regarding Pollution
Gadkari stated that 40 percent of the pollution in Delhi comes from the transport sector. To address this challenge, he has initiated alternative fuel projects such as electric vehicles, ethanol, bio-CNG, LNG, hydrogen, and flex-fuel. He mentioned that road projects worth over 1 lakh crore rupees are underway in Delhi-NCR.
Response to Trolling and Memes on Toll Taxes
Regarding the memes circulating on social media about toll taxes, Gadkari said that he has seen them and particularly liked a meme based on the movie 'Gadar'. He clarified that the public's anger is understandable, but toll is a necessary system for road construction.
Innovation in Organic Farming and Experiment with Urine-Based Fertilizer
Gadkari shared that he gave his gardener urine, which was used to make organic fertilizer. He did this under the 'Waste to Wealth' policy. He said that work is being done on various techniques and innovations to promote organic farming.
Making the 'Impossible' Possible in Highway Construction
Gadkari had set a target of constructing 100 kilometers of highways per day during his tenure, which he described as 'difficult but possible'. Currently, this figure averages 36–38 kilometers per day, and work is underway to increase it through better planning and implementation.
Clear Policy of Responsibility and Accountability
Gadkari stated that there are a total of 72 lakh kilometers of roads in the country, of which only 1.5 lakh kilometers of national highways fall under his ministry. If there is a defect in a road and it falls within his purview, he holds the concerned officer or contractor accountable. He said that if a mistake is made honestly, forgiveness is given, but action is certain in cases of fraud.
Political Thinking and Priority of Development
Gadkari said that for him, politics is a means of improving society and the economy. He said that he does 90 percent social service and 10 percent politics. According to him, ministers are not just of the party but of the entire country, and the politics of development is the most important.
Need for Toll System and Revenue Model
On the issue of toll tax, Gadkari reiterated that it is necessary to attract private investment for road construction in the country. The PPP model (Public Private Partnership) has been adopted for this, and toll tax is collected for this reason. This system helps in ensuring the quality and maintenance of roads.
Gadkari mentioned that he has good personal relationships with many leaders from Maharashtra, but he has always kept politics and personal relationships separate. This balance is a part of his working style.
No Plans for Retirement
The 67-year-old Gadkari said regarding retirement that he does not have a fixed date. He will continue to work as long as he is physically capable. He said that he does not make long-term plans and remains completely busy in his work. When he was called a 'development man', Gadkari said that the real development man is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that under Modi's leadership, India has done things that the Congress government could not do in 60 years.
