New Delhi, October 9 (IANS). Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that under the transformative leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving towards becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2027.
Addressing the 120th annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, the Union Minister said economic growth alone is not enough. It should go hand in hand with environmental protection and value based social system.
He further said that there has been a big change in India’s automobile sector in the last 11 years and it has reached 3rd position in the world, surpassing Japan, which was at 7th position in 2014.
According to the Union Minister, “Now with a turnover of over Rs 22 lakh crore, India is fast becoming the automobile hub of the world, and is making rapid progress in biofuels, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG and hydrogen.”
He also discussed about the value addition being done in agriculture by the government.
The Union Minister said that allowing ethanol production from maize has not only increased the income of farmers but also given a boost to the rural economy. Allowing ethanol production from maize has significantly increased the income of farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, benefiting the rural economy by over Rs 45,000 crore.
Speaking at another session at the same event, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that about 46 per cent of India’s population is employed in the agriculture sector and the government’s focus is on self-reliance in food production and farmer welfare.
“Food security must go hand in hand with the prosperity of farmers. We have to ensure that our farmers not only feed the country but also earn with dignity and stability,” he said.
He stressed the need to accelerate mechanization to increase per hectare productivity, improve seed quality through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and empower small and marginal farmers.
The Union Minister said that the country’s goal should go beyond food security and also include nutritional security and self-reliance in all aspects of agriculture.
He said India has achieved surplus production of rice and wheat and the next target is to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds.
–IANS
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