Announcing a mega project for the region, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, on Sunday, that Mother Dairy would set up its manufacturing base in the city. An entire range of dairy products will be prepared in the Rs 400 crore project to come up on a 10 hectare land that would be provided to the organisation, he said. The Minister was interacting with mediapersons on Sunday to highlight nine years of Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule in the Centre. Telling about the benefit it would bring to Vidarbha, Gadkari said, right now about 3 lakh litres of milk is collected from Vidarbha and, once the plant starts functioning, the dairy collection would rise to 30 lakh litres. The farmers in Vidarbha would get the right price for their milk, which would make cattle-rearing profitable for them. Gadkari said that as per the plan, the Mother Dairy plant to be set-up at Nagpur would cater to markets of entire Central India and also Southern India. At the outset, he said that barring the rule of Atal Behari Vajpayee and that of Janata Party Government, Congress Party was in power for nearly 60-years, from panchayats to Centre, and if a comparison is made with the nine-year rule of Prime Minister Modi-led BJP, the change is visible on every front. Reiterating commitment to welfare of common man, Gadkari said the start is being made by patronising local artisans and for that the shops at Telenkhedi complex would be allotted to them on priority.

 

For example, Nagpur was well-known for its handicrafts, particularly the saree prepared on handloom are quite famous. So the need today is to provide market to artisans and for the same a shop in Telenkhedi complex built by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) would be allocated to them. Same is true about products prepared at Anandvan and also the pottery makers and other such traditional artefacts from the interior parts of Vidarbha. The traditional tender process of inviting parties to bid for shops is being done away with. The artisans can also create jobs that would stimulate the economy that is proceeding in right direction and on target for $5 trillion. To a question about jobs, Gadkari said they are of two types, employment and self-employment, as the Government worked simultaneously on either front, and the results are visible in the country. The Mudra Yojana was a step in the right direction, as it channelised ideas and promoted enterpreneurship. About future projects, he said, electric buses would be rolled out for all public transport to abate pollution. Also, there are plans to run double decker buses on busy routes. Similarly, the Minister also talked about flying buses.

 

When asked about the artificial blockade on Kamptee Road, the Minister admitted to design error in Koradi fly-over landing and said alternatives were being discussed with MMRCL officials, including a tunnel from Zero Mile stone till LIC Square to by-pass the issue of traffic jumble at the spot in front of Kasturchand Park gate. A study is under way to tide over the problem and soon he also said that the Kamptee Road fly-over would also open along with the one in Pardi. Admitting to concerns about depleting green cover, Gadkari said they are soon going to undertake massive tree plantation along highways. A committee under Dr Satish Wate, former Director, NEERI, is working on the same and very soon lush green cover would don the roads, including that of city.

 

He also informed about a project undertaken in Paithan where about 20 trees are being relocated to allow road widening project. For the same famous actor Sayaji Shinde has taken personal interest. BJP's local leaders including Pravin Datke, President, Nagpur City Unit, Arvind Gajbhiye, President, Nagpur Rural Units, MLAs Krishna Khopde, Mohan Mate and Vikas Kumbhare, along with others were also present during the media interaction.