Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that science and technology are the key to making India a global leader and the world’s largest economy. He made the remarks on Tuesday while delivering the fifth memorial lecture in honour of former President and Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.
“Science and technology are the only things that can make India a Vishwaguru and the largest economy,” Gadkari said.
He highlighted that agricultural stress and rural distress in the country are primarily linked to the water crisis. “But there is no shortage of water in the country,” he noted, adding that previous governments did not give irrigation the priority it deserved. According to him, if irrigation had been ensured for 55 to 60 per cent of farmlands, agricultural output could have increased by 2.5 times and per capita income would have risen significantly.
Gadkari stressed that extending innovation and technology to rural areas could transform the lives of farmers and reduce migration to cities. He said tools like artificial intelligence and drip irrigation can make farming more sustainable. “Farmers need technology that increases productivity and reduces costs. When villages prosper, people do not feel forced to migrate. Today, many of the people who are migrating to the cities are not doing it by choice,” he said.
He also underlined the importance of diversifying agriculture into the energy and power sectors. He pointed out that the rising demand for ethanol has doubled the price of maize, boosting farmers’ income.
The minister added that efforts are underway to develop emission-free tractors and construction equipment, aligning agriculture with environmental sustainability. He emphasised that innovation must support both economic growth and ecological balance.
Gadkari also shared that legacy landfills will soon be eliminated, with the waste being repurposed for road construction. “We have already reduced the height of the waste dump in Ghazipur by seven metres,” he said, advocating for circular economies to strengthen sustainable development.
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