Varanasi: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said national highway works worth Rs 5 lakh crore are underway in Uttar Pradesh , while the state is also moving towards becoming an energy exporter soon.
Gadkari said UP is witnessing historic national highway development valued at Rs 5 lakh crore. “Of this, projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been completed, works worth Rs 3 lakh crore are in the pipeline, and the remaining projects are progressing. He expressed confidence that, as a result of the wide-ranging development underway, Uttar Pradesh would soon move from importing energy to exporting it.
He said a stronger road network would connect cities, towns and villages, improve access to education, healthcare, trade and employment, and give fresh momentum to industrial growth. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India, he said rapid progress requires strong infrastructure in water, power, telecommunications and roads. Wherever these four essentials exist, development accelerates and large-scale jobs are created, he said, adding that UP is advancing on this path, with better roads attracting new industries. Speaking about changes in agriculture and rural life, Gadkari said farmers are the country’s food providers, but efforts are being made to help them also become energy and fuel providers. This approach is reducing farmers’ poverty and creating employment opportunities for rural youth, he said. Highlighting technological progress, Gadkari said, “The world is changing rapidly as the use of electric and solar energy continues to rise.
He noted that energy is now being generated on a large scale from rice and sugarcane, and ethanol production is expanding. The govt is working with full commitment to promote new technologies.