Transplantation along highways could be linked to NREGA: Minister

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) The government on Wednesday said that transplantation work along national highways can be linked with NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme.

According to Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, the transplantation work along national highways has a huge potential to generate jobs and benefit the rural economy.

“Roads must be viewed as green highway opportunities," Gadkari said in his inaugural address at a workshop on transplantation along national highways here.

"Aside from the environmental and aesthetic aspects, they have a huge potential to generate jobs and thus benefit the rural economy. It may even be linked with the NREGA scheme.”

The workshop was organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), along with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Gadkari invited interested investors to take up experimental projects in the area of transplantation along national highways.

“If needed, we will provide technology and financial support as well to the selected agency," Gadkari said.

"As an incentive three winners from each state every year will also be awarded for exemplary work.”

The minister pointed out that transplantation projects would be monitored through satellite technology with payments made only after the success of the projects.

Gadkari urged research institutes like TERI to share their inputs on the transplantation techniques.

NHAI on its part said that it has set aside one percent of its project cost for transplantation, plantation, beautification and maintenance of national highways.

"We have set aside one percent of our project cost for transplantation, plantation, beautification and maintenance," said Raghav Chandra, chairman, NHAI.

"We have adequate funds and we intend to use it for setting SOPs (standard operating procedures), build capacity and imbibe the best global practices.”