"Double Engine Growth" In Puducherry If NDA Voted To Power, Says Nitin Gadkari

Puducherry would witness "double engine growth'' if NDA is voted to power in the April 6 Assembly polls, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.

He said the centre had sanctioned Rs 20,000 crore worth road projects in the union territory as part of the overall inftrastructure development in the country, which was already at a high level.

Mr Gadkari, who is here to participate in a public meeting in the run up to the polls, told reporters that the ''sagar mala'' scheme envisaged for Puducherry would help development of a mini port to bring to promote deep sea fishing and to ameliorate the lot of fishermen.

"There will be tremendous change in infrastructure facilities in Puducherry as NDA is committed to promote the basic facilities in Union Territory", he said, adding there would be double engine growth, a reference to the same party led goverment at the centre and the state.

The Union transport minister also listed the projects for construction of flyovers linking different segments in Puducherry, involving an outlay of around Rs 232 crore.

Later addressing a meeting organized by the local BJP unit, Mr Gadkari said there would be employment opportunities and economic development if NDA was voted to power.

"Our concentration and priority will be on infrastructure that would ensure a faster growth of Puducherry," he said.

Puducherry State BJP committee president V Saminathan and leaders of different wings of the party also spoke.

The AINRC headed NDA has BJP and AIADMK as the other constituents.

While BJP has fielded candidates in nine out of the total 30 segments, the AINRC has jumped into the fray in 16 segments and the AIADMK in five.