Pune, Maharashtra – June 24: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari emphasized India’s strong financial position and the urgent need to accelerate infrastructure project execution, during his address at the Punyabhushan Award ceremony held in Pune on Monday.
“No Shortage of Funds, Only Execution Delays”: Gadkari
Gadkari asserted that funding is no longer the problem in India’s infrastructure development. Instead, delays in execution are now the major obstacle.
“There is no shortage of funds. I often announce projects worth ₹50,000 crore to ₹1 lakh crore. Journalists don’t believe it, but I challenge them—write it down. If any project doesn’t happen, make it breaking news,” he said.
The minister revealed that innovative financial models allow for expenditures well beyond the allocated annual budgets.
“Even with a ₹2 lakh crore budget, I can manage to spend ₹8 to ₹10 lakh crore,” Gadkari noted, underlining India’s growth-driven economic strategy.
Rigid Administrative Culture a Major Bottleneck
Gadkari did not hold back in criticizing the bureaucratic rigidity that impedes innovation. Comparing it to animal behavior in rural India, he said:
“In villages, animals walk in a straight line while grazing. Our administration works the same way—rigid, linear. If someone proposes an out-of-the-box idea, it’s immediately dismissed.”
Reviving Projects Worth Lakhs of Crores
Gadkari recalled a meeting with the then Finance Commission Chairman, where he discussed 406 stalled infrastructure projects worth ₹3.85 lakh crore, many on the brink of becoming non-performing assets (NPAs).
“The challenge wasn’t funding, but land acquisition issues, utility shifting delays, missing clearances, and legal hurdles. These hurdles were pushing companies into bankruptcy,” he said.
The government intervened by assessing the projects, terminating ₹40,000 crore worth of unviable ones, and reviving the rest—saving ₹3 lakh crore in potential NPAs and preventing a crisis in the banking sector.
Vijay Kelkar’s Reform Legacy Praised
Gadkari praised Vijay Kelkar, former bureaucrat and economist, for promoting policy reforms that aligned with national interests.
“Kelkar Sahab welcomed new ideas, accepted what was practical, and corrected what wasn’t. His vision was always focused on India’s growth and development.”
“Policy Reforms Are the Real Catalyst”
In closing, Gadkari reiterated that policy-making is the real engine of progress, and reform-oriented leadership is essential to unlock India’s infrastructure potential.
“Without supportive leadership, even the best officers become frustrated. Kelkar’s legacy shows that governance must be agile, not rigid.”