Nagpur: Union minister for road transport and highways and city MP Nitin Gadkari has taken a major step in attaining transparency in the party in the ensuing municipal elections. Making it loud and clear that no relative of leaders would be given tickets to contest the polls, Gadkari maintained that priority would be given to BJP workers.
Gadkari claimed it was not BJP culture to give tickets to relatives taking potshots at Congress. Contrary to his assertion more than 20 women corporators of BJP were given tickets solely as proxies for their husband. They are Sushma, wife of Sanjay Chaudhary; Bhagyashree, wife of Ganesh Kantode; Sangeeta, wife of Dipak Girhe, Meena, wife of Govind Tidke; Sulochana, wife of Vinod Kove; Sadhana, wife of Naresh Barde; Varsha, wife of Jayant Thakre; Lata, wife of Vinod Yadav; Jaitunbi, wife of Ashfaque Ansari; Uma, wife of Trimbak Gatibandhe; Sangita, wife of Gopal Kalamkar; Sarita, wife of Ishwar Kavre; Anita, wife of Pradip Wankhede; Kanta, wife of Radheshayam Rarorkar; Vidya, wife of Rajesh Kanhere; Rashmi, wife of Ajay Fadnavis; Manisha, wife of Sunil Kote; Divya, wife of Dipak Dhurde; Sarika, wife of Sunil Nandurkar, Vishakha, wife of Baba Maind, Usha, wife of Gajanan Nishitkar; Sarita, wife of Sanjay Tiwari, Rita, wife of Ashok Mule, Swati, wife of Chandrakant Akhatkar. Besides, there were some who did not win in 2012.
“I approved developmental projects worth around Rs 28,000 crore for the city. Mihan works have been expedited. Already 9,780 youths from the city have jobs in Mihan. Five thousand more will get jobs soon. Many jobs will be created in metro coach unit to come at Butibori. CM Fadnavis has also approved a slew of projects for the city. All this was possible because Nagpurians voted for BJP in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. BJP will come back to power in NMC too,” he said.
Fadnavis, Gadkari, guardian minister Chandrashekar Bawankule and mayor Pravin Datke performed bhoomipuja of Package-I and II of Rs 320 crore cement concrete road Project II at Subhash Nagar T-point on Sunday morning.
Fadnavis said state government had begun the process to give ownership rights to slum-dwellers. “Cement road projects of Rs 600 crore have been planned for Nagpur. Life of these roads will be 50 years. Numerous other projects are in the pipeline for the city. By 2019, Nagpur will be a role model only for the nation but entire world,” he said.
Gadkari alleged former guardian minister Ranjit Deshmukh was responsible for lack of development of outer areas, especially Gunthewari layouts. “Deshmukh imposed prohibition on executing works in unauthorized layouts. We approved funds for overall development of these layouts,” he said.
He added work on Skill Development University will begin before December. “It will be the nation’s first such university. Children of Vidarbha farmers will get 15% concession in fees here. Laser show will be developed at Fulala lake on the lines of Vivekananda memorial at Ambazari lake. Suresh Bhat auditorium with seating capacity of 2,500 will be inaugurated soon,” he said.
Datke requested the citizens to bear with problems arising out works on in various parts of the city. “CM had approved Rs 25 crore for laying sewage trunk line in South-West Nagpur that will solve problem of many areas. Bhoomipuja of trunk line was also held today. Gadkari approved Rs 33 lakh for development of Buddha Vihar at Takli Sim,” he said.
Bawankule said all streetlights in the city will be converted into LED-based soon. “All power cables will be taken underground,” he declared
Sardar Ptel Krida Mandal donated Rs 51,000 to CM’s flagship Jal Yukta Shivar in the programme.
