Centre to award road projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in North-East

"Of the total Rs 15,000 crore road projects envisaged for the North-East, Rs 6,000 crore worth highways will be developed in Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 2,000 crore projects each in Nagaland and Meghalaya and the remaining ones in other parts of the region," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said here.
  
The Minister, who was here to dedicate 4-laning of Shillong bypass and Jorabat-Barapani to the nation, said the central government will encourage the local contractors in the region to take up civil works for road projects with the aim of providing employment to the local population.
  
The Centre has also asked the north-eastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh -- to acquire land and obtain the necessary regulatory clearances after which the Ministry of Road Transport and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will build those roads.
  
"These measures will ease the bottlenecks in establishing the road projects," he said. He added that the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) will provide 10 percent machinery and 10 percent resource mobilisation to the local contractors in advance to commence work on the highways.

Gadkari said that 18 new jetties will come up on the Brahmaputra river. The 48.76 kms long road -- connecting Umiam in Ri-Bhoi district and Mawryngkneng in East Khasi Hills District -- was developed to decongest Shillong from trucks and heavy vehicles coming from or moving towards north-eastern part of Assam and other states like Mizoram and Tripura.
  
The project, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 226 crore, was completed in two years after work began in 2011. The four-laning of Jorabat-Barapnai has been done to improve road connectivity between Guwahati and Shillong. The project length is 61.80 kms which includes the Umsning Bypass (5.82 kms).

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NCP will vote against land ordinance in Rajya Sabha: Sharad Pawar

"I have spoken to a number of political parties who are opposed to the ordinance. The government may bulldoze it in the Lok Sabha based on its majority in the Lower House. But the picture will be different in the Rajya Sabha.

The NCP will vote against the ordinance in the Upper House," Pawar told reporters here. He said the Government has appointed Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari as the pointsman to hold dialogue with the Opposition to support the ordinance's passage in the Parliament.
  
"I have known Gadkari to be polite and open for dialogue. But the language of the letter he has written to all Opposition members asking whether they don't want development and water to farmers as well as defence projects smacks of arrogance of power. It is not the language of dialogue," Pawar said.

The letter is based on the brief he has got from his political bosses, Pawar charged, adding that he has not replied to the letter.
  
Pawar recalled that the Land Acquisition Bill passed in 2013 was drafted by a committee headed by him. "All suggestions by the then Leaders of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were incorporated and the Bill was passed unanimously. Why was a decision made to scrap the Act and bring amendments," he asked.

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Government not averse to more amendments to Land Bill: Nitin Gadkari

"We are not averse to more amendments to the Land Bill provided they are good and substantial in nature. There is no restriction on fresh changes," Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari said.

But at the same time, he cautioned that amendments aimed at delaying the measure and scoring political points against the government would certainly not be considered.
  
"We accepted nine amendments to the bill after discussion in the Lok Sabha. We are obviously open to new changes," he said.

Asked about NDA government's lack of numbers in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said that he is hopeful of getting support from the Upper House.
  
"I believe members will support the Bill in Rajya Sabha. Let us hope positively. We are confident," he said. Amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2014 have been approved by the Lok Sabha but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha as the ruling NDA government is short of numbers in the Upper House.
  
However, pending the passage of the amendment bill by Parliament, the Ordinance was re-promulgated to ensure continuity in legislation.
    

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Waterways Bill to be introduced in Parliament on April 20: Nitin Gadkari

"I will be introducing the Inland Waterways Bill in Parliament on April 20," Gadkari said at a CII event here. He added that the government is contemplating setting up five more major ports in the country, two of which have already been announced in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, to be built at an estimated investment of Rs 16,000 crore.
  
At present, there are 12 major ports -- Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, VO Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) -- in India.

Gadkari said the existing five inland waterways would be developed on a public-private-partnership (PPP) mode next year.
  
"One is Ganga, which flows from Gangotri to the Bay of Bengal via Haldia. The other is Mahanadi of Odisha, which is in a coal mining area. The third is Brahmaputra. The fourth is Buckingham Canal which links Tamil Nadu with Andhra Pradesh and the fifth one is in Kerala," he said, adding that waterways would cut transport cost by 30 percent.

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LS polls: Nitin Gadkari scouting for competent candidates in Delhi

The party’s brainstorming session over the announcement of probable candidates continued till late night on Tuesday. During the party’s meeting, Gadkari collected details related to all candidates including MLAs, defeated candidates, areas of their representation, information regarding district presidents and scrutinized their claim for candidature from close quarters.

Delhi Lok Sabha polls are a matter of prestige for Nitin Gadkari as he has been given the responsibility of taking care of party’s affairs in the national capital. Overall, he has not been able to deliver the party an absolute majority during the Assembly polls as well. In order to make up for this unfinished agenda, the former saffron party chief is trying out possible trick in his sleeve to ensure BJP’s victory in the national capital’s seven Lok Sabha seats.

It’s mainly due to this very reason, he wants to have a proper look into the names of candidates and gauge their winnability before sending the list to party’s parliamentary board.

Several leaders, willing to contest elections also claimed their stakes before Gadkari. Now it remains to be seen, what would be the party’s decision during its parliamentary board meeting, scheduled to be held on 13th March.

During the meet, Gadkari asked the party leaders and workers to discharge their duties in proper co-ordination with each other so that its effect can have an impact during the elections as well.

JPN/Bureau

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Gadkari posing stiff challenge to Muttemwar on Nagpur seat

A seven-time sitting MP, Muttemwar, who has been retained by the Congress, will be facing a tough challenge this time from the former national BJP chief, who is going the whole hog to win the LS polls from his hometown in his maiden attempt.

   

A known Congress citadel, Nagpur has witnessed only one Congress defeat when it lost to BJP in 1994. Muttemwar first got elected from Chimur in 1980 and subsequently in 1985, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009.

While, sitting MLC Gadkari was a PWD minister in the erstwhile Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra in 1995-99. Later he became the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council and went on to don the post of state BJP chief. He was elevated to national politics when he became the BJP national president.

   

Gadkari is credited with construction of flyovers in various parts of Maharashtra besides the Mumbai-Pune Express Highway.

   

Blowing the poll bugle, the BJP was the first to declare its candidate for the Nagpur seat, followed by newcomer AAP and Congress, which released their nominees last week.

However, BSP and RPI are yet to announce the candidates for the polls scheduled here on April 10.

   

Interestingly, activist-turned politician Anjali Damania too is making her foray into electoral politics with the ensuing general elections on AAP ticket.

(Agencies)

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LS polls: AAP to spice up triangular contest on Nagpur seat

Damania will contest against former BJP president Nitin Gadkari from this prestigious seat.

The political picture on this seat is likely to be clear once Congress announces its list of candidates in the coming week. Sources say that incumbent Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar in all probability will be given another term.

According to sources, AAP dropped the idea of fielding a local candidate against Gadkari and selected 44-year-old Damania, as it failed to find a suitable candidate to take on the BJP heavyweight in his stronghold.

   

AAP's chances in their maiden run of securing sizeable votes have considerably brightened with Damania's nomination from the Nagpur seat, despite she being described as an 'outsider' by the BJP and Congress, sources said.

"Even if she doesn't win, she will ensure Gadkari's defeat, which is the objective of the party," they said.

As per AAP sources, most of the politicians on their target belong to the UPA, particularly top ministers besides Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi but Gadkari is the only NDA politician from Maharashtra on their radar.

The activist had accused the former BJP president of being hand-in-glove with Sharad Pawar to suppress the alleged irregularities related to irrigation projects in the state.

(Agencies)

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