Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, known for his candid remarks, stated on Saturday that he has no shortage of funds for projects, but faces a shortage of people to execute them. He made these comments at an event organized by the Association of Industry Development in Nagpur.
“Money is in the market, but a shortage of workers”
During his address, Gadkari said, “I work, I don’t have a shortage of money. I am a person who has ₹15 lakh crore lying around. I am unable to spend it; there is a shortage of workers. The money is in the market, people are standing with money, but the work is not happening.”
He added, “But the day you start the work, you will realize that so many people will come, so many jobs will be created that you won’t be able to handle it. That is the potential.”
5 Lakh New Jobs in 5 Years
The Union Minister called for a commitment to create 5 lakh new jobs in the next five years. He emphasized that this would contribute to Vidarbha’s economic growth, help develop Nagpur into a smart city, and lead to the development of many villages.
Focus on Employment Growth
Gadkari stressed the desire to increase employment growth, stating that the objective is to create jobs for the youth of Vidarbha. Addressing the Association of Industry Development, Gadkari said, “Your target should be to provide employment to approximately 5 lakh people in 5 years.”
He also expressed confidence in his goal-setting, saying, “It is a ‘yog’ (discipline/feat) that whatever I say, the target is fulfilled.” He cited the example of the MIHAN (Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur) project, which faced opposition initially. “We had said we would provide employment to one lakh people, and one lakh people have been employed so far,” he stated.
