‘Will ensure pucca houses to poor, 1 lakh jobs in Nagpur’

Eyeing a third consecutive win in the VIP segment of Maharashtra's Nagpur, Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has set his eyes on ambitious goals — be it in terms of national infrastructure development, highways' expansion and construction, or his victory margin in the constituency that goes to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

He (Vikas Thakare of the Congress) is a good friend. Everybody has the right to contest elections. However, this time I have set my victory margin at 5 lakh. My party workers are focussing on making it a reality.

In an interview with Animesh Singh of The Tribune, Gadkari, former BJP chief, took time off from his hectic campaign schedule in Nagpur to speak on a range of issues. Excerpts from the interview:

How do you view employment and lack of it as a poll issue, especially in the Vidarbha region?

Employment generation will not improve unless exports and tourism sector witness growth. However in Vidarbha, several thousands have got employment as there is Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur, just 150 km away from Nagpur. It is the tiger capital of the region, therefore people are getting employment in the tourism sector here. Hotels and vehicles are constantly getting booked as there is development in tourism sector, which is a major job generator.

I have opposed the introduction of driverless vehicles in the country because 25 lakh persons get employment as drivers. Vidarbha is rich in minerals, forests and tourism infrastructure, so we will coordinate across these sectors to boost employment generation.

In Vidarbha, agriculture is dependent on rain. The region does not get much attention in terms of subsidies or government support. What are your plans to ease farm distress here?

Irrigation coverage is low here, around 25 per cent, as against nearly 55 per cent nationally. Therefore, through water conservation measures, we want to take this percentage to up to 60. If this happens, farmers will not die by suicide in Vidarbha.

What about greater incentives for rain-dependent agriculture?

If there are no rains, agriculture is bound to be severely impacted. There is a need to save water at individual and society level. I have personally initiated several irrigation-based projects in the region, which will gradually improve water table here.

Nagpur was once the capital of the erstwhile Central Provinces, why has it not developed as much as Mumbai and Pune?

Mumbai and Pune are developed cities and have become IT and automobile hubs. However, people there say that Nagpur is now more developed. There are power generation plants here, IT units have come up, an international airport is being set up, while the Nagpur Metro had come up before the Pune Metro project. Dassault has set up a base in Nagpur. There are five medical colleges, too. With an aim to develop Nagpur as a logistics hub, we are also planning to set up a dry port here.

Nagpur was once a textile hub. Why has the handloom industry here shrunk over the years?

We have made efforts to raise the production of sarees here. We are focussing hugely on the handloom industry and trying to revive the sector. We are also nurturing dairy sector here.

What do you have to say about your prospects and that of your opponent Vikas Thakare of the Congress?

He (Thakare) is a good friend. Everybody has the right to contest elections. I don't make any personal comments against anybody and wish him all the best. However, this time I have set my victory margin at 5 lakh. My party workers are focussing on making it a reality.

What are your plans if you come back for the third term as MP from Nagpur?

In my next term, I want to provide pucca houses to those living in jhuggis in Nagpur, and also want to provide one lakh jobs. I meet everybody and am accessible to all and work for everybody. I don't and will never indulge in politics of caste and religion.

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