States »SoutPosted at: Mar 22 2021 4:50PM

Pondy will witness double engine growth if NDA come to power : Gadkari

Puducherry, Mar 22 (UNI) Union Minister for Road, Surface Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that if NDA is voted to power, Puducherry will witness a ‘double engine growth’ and sought cooperation of the people in the April 6 Assembly election in the Union Territory.

Talking to news persons here, Mr.Gadkari said that Rs 20,000 crore of infrastructure projects have been sanctioned for Puducherry, which will bring tremendous change in the socio economic life of people.

The development of Mini port would be executed in three phases for which over 300 crore has been sanctioned, he said, adding that this will pave the way for economic development.

In the first phase, Rs 75 crore, in second phase Rs 60 crore and in the third phase Rs 170.20 crore have been sanctioned.

Fishing activity would be promoted to enhance productivity seven times. Through the MSME Ministry, assistance would be extended to fishermen for deep sea fishing in trawlers.

At present fishermen goes up to 10 nautical miles, which they can increase up to 100 nautical miles, Mr Gadkari said and added that the port will also facilitate fishermen in exporting the catch too.

He said that road infrastructure projects announced by him have all been sanctioned and are at various stages of implementation.

The DPRs are at the final stage of preparation for flyovers at Rajiv Gandhi square and Indira Gandhi squares which have been sanctioned at Rs 232 crore and 196 crore, while other projects are along with Tamil Nadu, which will benefit Puducherry .

When asked about statehood, Mr Gadkari said that "100 percent we will think about it. We will do everything possible to ensure that Puducherry is well developed", he added.

Our commitment is that Puducherry is allocated funds equal to state, added Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP.

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