Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday called upon the people of Rajasthan to bring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power in the upcoming Assembly election for ensuring a “positive change” in the State’s future. He said the BJP would improve the lives of farmers and labourers and create jobs for the youth.
Mr. Gadkari flagged off the BJP’s fourth Parivartan Yatra from Gogamedi temple in Hanumanrgh district’s Nohar block. The yatra will cover 50 Assembly constituencies in Bikaner division and Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Alwar districts during the next 18 days.
Addressing a public meeting before the launch of the yatra, Mr. Gadkari said a “double-engine government” in Rajasthan would construct roads, supply water to farmers, ensure remunerative prices for agricultural produce, bring prosperity to villages, formulate welfare schemes for the poor and open more schools and hospitals.
“I request to you [the public] to change the future of the country and Rajasthan with the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President J.P. Nadda. Come and support the BJP to see the new sunrise of development and blooming lotus,” he added.
“What I say, I do it, and that happens too. I see farmers are committing suicide. The darkness will disappear, new sun will rise as the lotus blooms again,” he said in an emotionally charged appeal without naming the place and State where farmers were committing suicide.
Commenting on the difficulties faced by the farmers because of fluctuating prices and uncertain agricultural output, Mr. Gadkari said diversification of agriculture towards the energy and power sectors was the need of the country. An increased production of ethanol from the farm produces would enable the farmers to become the “providers of energy”, he said.
The senior BJP leader said if the use of ethanol was increased, the money spent on the import of oil would gradually reduce and would instead be spent on the development of villages. “The capital investment will come if we have water, road and electricity. This in turn will increase the growth rate, create employment opportunities and reduce poverty,” Mr. Gadkari said.
Highlighting his Ministry’s contribution to Rajasthan during the last nine years, Mr. Gadkari said the roads of the length of 6,300 km had been constructed at a cost of ₹50,000 crore, while 2,531-km-long highways were built at a cost of ₹35,000 crore. “There will be no road work left in Rajasthan by 2024,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, BJP State president C.P. Joshi, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and Deputy Leader of Opposition Satish Poonia also addressed the rally.