Manipur Election 2017: Rs 20,000 cr sanctioned for road development in state, says Nitin Gadkari in poll rally

Imphal: Union Minister for Road Transports and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Saturday canvassed for the BJP candidate in Noney, a hill district of Manipur.

Addressing an election rally at Longmai (Noney) Common Ground, the Union minister said that an amount of Rs 22,000 crore have been sanctioned for development of the road Infrastructures in Manipur.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"The BJP-led government at the Centre, which gives the highest priority for the development of the North East states, created the National Highway Infrastructure Development Company Limited exclusively for northeastern states. Rs 60,000 crore have been sanctioned for road connectivity in North East, out of which Rs 22,0000 crore have been sanctioned for the road infrastructure in Manipur," said the minister.

He said the BJP is committed towards the eradication of poverty, creating more employment avenues for the unemployed youths, giving good infrastructure, good roads network and a good rail network.

The minister said Manipur needs the right leadership who has the capability for development, right decision-making capacity and give a corruption-free and transparent administration. The state is rich but the population is poor because of the wrong economic policies, bad and corrupt governance and visionless leadership.

Gadkari also quoted former US president John F Kenndy, "The American Roads are not good because American is rich but America is rich because American roads are good. The prosperity is coming from the road."

Lashing out at the Congress, the minister said, "For the last 70 years, the Congress got maximum opportunity to rule the country and the state but both the country and state are still underdeveloped. Congress gave lot of promises like garibi hatao (remove poverty)."

Launching a scathing attack on Congress, he questioned, "Where is the poverty alleviated by the Congress government for the tribals and the weaker sections, villagers, and farmers? Where is the good dwelling houses provided to the poor? Where are the schools and hospitals? There is a school but no buildings and teachers and so there is no teaching. There are no doctors and medicines in the hospitals."