Cabinet decided to provide 40 per cent fund as 'viability gap' for social sectors, says Gadkari

New Delhi [India], November 24 : Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced the Union Cabinet's decision to provide 40 per cent fund in the form of viability gap to the social sectors including medical college, universities, airports among others.
"Today we have passed a note in the cabinet that now not only infrastructure but even in the social sector--medical college, universities will be provided with 40 per cent fund in the form of viability gap. Today in the Cabinet meeting it has been decided to provide 40 per cent of the viability gap to social sectors, this applies to medical college, universities, airports, social sector, water ports etc..these projects can be built at any place where there is no economic viability," Gadkari said.
The Union Minister participated in the event 'Symbiosis Golden Jubilee Lecture Series' through video-conferencing and delivered a lecture on the topic of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.
"Agriculture sector and allied services contribute 16-17 per cent of the GDP, the manufacturing sector contributes 22-23 per cent of the GDP and service sector contributes 52-54 per cent of the GDP. Agriculture sector's contributions need to be brought up to 30 per cent," said Gadkari.
"If we have to reach 30 per cent, we will have to stop migration from rural areas to the cities. Why will people come to cities if they are provided jobs in their hometown, why will they come to the city? In order to become an "Atmanirbhar Bharat", every sector will have to work in alignment to this vision," he added.
The Union Minister further said that the conversion of knowledge into wealth was the future of India.
"If we're setting goals for the next 25 to 30 years, we will have to work with a particular vision in rural and agriculture sectors. From our department, we have decided that in the next two years, the turnover of the village industry will be taken to Rs 5 lakh crores," Gadkari said.
"I am happy that today we have started good work in the agriculture sector and rural areas. I am happy that many pending projects in Maharashtra have been completed now. Gradually, we will have to make many changes in the agriculture sector and we have started working on the same," he said further.
"About 1,000 industries in the country can run on ethanol then why are we importing petrol? Why are we contributing to pollution? If we make an ethanol economy worth Rs 2 lakh or Rs 3 lakh crores, then we will have jobs at least for 50 lakh people in rural India. There are so many ways by which we can help increase employment in rural areas," he added.
Gadkari said, Jhojhila tunnel is being constructed in Kargil, it's earlier cost was Rs 11,000 crores for which the tender was issued thrice but he did not sign it and returned the file.
"You will be surprised to know that we have saved Rs 5,000 crores and the tender has been given to a good company now," he added.