Drawing from the foundational ideas of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Sunday (August 3, 2025) said the Centre’s upcoming mining policy would aim to boost industrial production while ensuring broader participation and employment — especially in backward regions like Vidarbha.
Speaking at the ‘India@100: Charting Vidarbha’s Journey to a Developed India’ event in Nagpur, Mr. Gadkari recalled Nehru’s emphasis on maximising production and Gandhi’s insistence on inclusive economic participation.
“Nehruji used to say, that we need maximum production, while Gandhiji used to say, ‘we need maximum production with the involvement of the maximum number of people. That’s the principle we want to adopt for Vidarbha. We want to increase maximum production with the involvement of maximum number of people,” Mr. Gadkari said.
The Minister said that the mining sector would be central to this plan, and a new national mining policy is being finalised to remove red tape and fast-track industrial activity in resource-rich areas like Gadchiroli.
“The draft policy was recently tabled before the cabinet. While the Prime Minister had some reservations, after I shared my suggestions, he directed the cabinet secretary to review the policy with me,” Mr. Gadkari said.
