Jaipur/Shri Ganganagar, August 17. Chief Minister Mr. Ashok Gehlot stated that the state government has resolved to make the state a leading one in the country by the year 2030. The path to achieving Mission-2030 will be paved through a robust road infrastructure. He mentioned that significant road development work has been carried out in the state over the past four and a half years, and the appreciation for our roads is being recognized nationwide. The far-flung villages in the state are now connected through safe, smooth, and beautiful road networks, leading to increased employment and income.
On Thursday, Mr. Gehlot inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 153 road development projects costing Rs. 4,817 crores at the Chief Minister's residence. He addressed officials and representatives through video conferencing as part of the program. He highlighted that the state government is working towards creating a network of high-quality roads to ensure safe and comfortable travel, which is contributing to a positive environment for investors and opening new dimensions of development.
He emphasized that the state has sent several letters to the central government, demanding the upgradation of 50 state highways to national highways to boost industrial development and increase employment opportunities. Toll collection through the FastTag system has been implemented on state highways, making travel smoother and time-saving for the public. Furthermore, efforts are being made to connect all major religious sites through quality road networks to promote religious tourism.
Mr. Gehlot stated that the goal is to develop over 1,00,000 kilometers of road infrastructure, and significant progress has been made, with more than 66,000 kilometers already completed. The state is investing in road construction and improvement, focusing on quality. He shared that the state's GDP was around Rs. 9,111 crores in 2018-19, which has increased to about Rs. 14,140 crores. The government aims to further increase it to Rs. 35,710 crores by 2030.
Regarding the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (EARSIP) for 13 districts, Mr. Gehlot mentioned that pending dams will also be included in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of EARSIP. This inclusion will connect 53 dams from Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, Bharatpur, and Alwar to EARSIP, with an additional Rs. 1,665 crores investment. This move is expected to benefit around 11 lakh farmers.
The Chief Minister noted that the public's active involvement is crucial in achieving the vision of making Rajasthan a leading state by 2030. He mentioned that economists, authors, journalists, students, government officials, lawyers, farmers, laborers, women, youth, intellectuals, and athletes, along with one crore citizens, will be engaged to gather suggestions for Mission 2030. Based on these suggestions, the government will release a vision document for Mission 2030.
In the event, Public Works Minister Mr. Bhajan Lal Jatav highlighted that the inauguration and foundation laying of road projects costing Rs. 4,817 crores will accelerate development in the state. He added that in the budget for 2023-24, road construction and improvement work for 23,000 kilometers is planned at a cost of Rs. 16,123 crores. Over 66,000 kilometers of road development has been completed during the current government's tenure, significantly boosting development despite the state's challenging geographic conditions.