NEW DELHI: The government is committed to providing 50 lakh jobs in highways and shipping as it plans to undertake projects worth 6 lakh crore.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference here on Thursday, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Roads and Highways said, “We have decided to do work worth 5 lakh crore in road sector and 1 lakh crore in shipping sector. In the next five years we will ensure employment to at least 50 lakh youth in the country.”

The government is likely to get funding from Asian Development Bank for a project worth 22, 000 crore that will provide connectivity between India and Sri Lanka. Besides overhauling these sectors, the government has been trying to improve connectivity with neighbouring nations on high priority basis, Gadkari said.

After signing pacts with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal for seamless flow of traffic, another project for providing connectivity with Sri Lanka is on the anvil, he added.

Speaking at the conference, Gadkari said that the government’s target is to expedite the construction of National Highways in India. He further added that all steps should be taken to develop new technologies and equipment so as to bring down the cost of construction and improving the quality of road infrastructure.

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