New Delhi: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday praised former PM Manmohan Singh for giving a new direction to the country through economic reforms, saying that the country is indebted to him for this. Addressing the 'TIOL Awards 2022' program organized in Delhi, Gadkari said that the economic reforms started by the then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh in the year 1991 showed a new direction to India.

The country got a new direction because of the liberal economy, he said. The country is indebted to Manmohan Singh for that. Gadkari also mentioned the help received by Manmohan's policies in raising money for the roads of Maharashtra in the nineties. He said that due to the economic reforms initiated by Manmohan Singh, he was able to raise funds for these road projects as a minister of Maharashtra.

The same Gadkari emphasized that India needs a liberal economic policy with the intent to benefit the poor as well. He said that liberal economic policy is for the farmers and the poor. He described China as a good example in developing the country through liberal economic policy. In relation to India, Gadkari said that the country will need more capital investment to accelerate economic growth. Referring to the construction of 26 expressways across the country by his ministry, he said that he has not faced any shortage of funds. He said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is also raising money from the common man for the construction of highways. According to Gadkari, NHAI's toll revenue will increase to Rs 1.40 lakh crore by the end of 2024 from Rs 40,000 crore currently.

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