Overview

• Nitin Gadkari warned that the number of poor Indians is rising even as wealth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few.
• He emphasised the need to decentralise resources to spur rural job creation and correct imbalances between agriculture, manufacturing and services.
• Toll revenue is projected to rise from ₹55,000 crore currently to ₹1.4 lakh crore within two years.
• Monetising toll assets over 15 years could generate up to ₹12 lakh crore for new road and connectivity projects.
• He plans to raise funds through domestic InvIT bonds offering 18–20% returns, explicitly rejecting foreign investment.