Investments Key to Viksit Bharat

Most importantly, an investment of ₹1 in infrastructure yields three times that in economic development. Nitin Gadkari Union minister for road transport and highways

- Subhash Narayan & Utpal Bhaskar

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has kept infrastructure development as one of its prime goals on the road to becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047. In an interview with Mint, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said good infrastructure will help the country bring in capital investments and industrial development. Investments will create jobs, boost exports and raise the growth of the economy. "It (investments) will also help the GDP to cross $5 trillion mark and (India) become the third-largest economy globally," Gadkari said.

Edited excerpts:

There has been quality improvement in India's road infrastructure. While your stated target is 100km per day, and you have said it's ambitious, you're doing around 36km per day. Where does it go from here?

Infrastructure is very important for the progress of any country, and it is a great pleasure for me that after 2014, Narendra Modi has decided to give highest priority for the development of infrastructure in the country, be it water, power, transport and communication sectors. If we have good infrastructure, we will have capital investment and industrial development. With capital investment and industrial development, we will create jobs, we will have more exports, we will have more growth, and if we are going to create employment potential, we can eradicate poverty.

Coming back to my question. So, it's 36km-per-day today. Where do you think you will be able to take it?