New Delhi: For faster implementation of highway projects, Road Transport Ministry has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to empower the ministry to be able to award projects of Rs 1,000 crore investment on its own.
"We have asked the Prime Minister to allow to clear projects of over Rs 1,000 crore. Many projects in the past have got delayed due to a number of committee approvals required for their implementation," Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told reporters.
Highway projects above Rs 1,000 crore investment can be taken up by the Cabinet.
The minister said that his office has so far cleared Rs 40,000 crore worth of projects which were stuck due to inordinate delays in clearances.
He added that the Cabinet in its meeting, on Wednesday, approved 11 projects worth Rs 16,000 crore. Gadkari also assured that both his ministries -- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Ministry of Shipping -- will contribute nearly 2 per cent to the country's Gross Domestic Product in the next two years.
"In the next two years, both Roads and Shipping (sectors) will contribute 1.5-2 per cent to the country's GDP," he said.
The Minister added that NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) will soon award new PPP (public-private-partnership) projects in the sector.
On the question of attracting foreign direct investment in the road sector, Gadkari said, "We don't require FDI in road sector. Our policies encourage Indian contractors and more employment potential in Indian roads".
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday proposed Rs 37,880 crore investment in NHAI, including Rs 3,000 crore for the North East.
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