Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari
File:Nitin Gadkari 4 copy.jpg
Maharashtra Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 1989
Minister for PWD, Maharashtra
In office 27th May, 1995 – 1999
National President of BJP
Incumbent
Assumed office 25th December, 2009
Preceded by	Rajnath Singh
Personal details
Born	(1957-05-27) May 27, 1957 Nagpur, India
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse	Kanchan Gadkari
Children	Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki
Alma mater	Nagpur University
Occupation	Lawyer, Industrialist
Website	nitingadkari.in

Nitin Gadkari (Template:Lang-mr) (born 27 May, 1957) is an Indian Industrialist, Agriculturist, Sr. Politician and the Current President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is best known for the works during his tenure as a PWD Minister in the state of Maharashta when he constructed a series of roads, highways and flyovers across the state including the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.

Background, Family and Education

Nitin Gadkari was born in Nagpur, India to a middle class Deshastha Brahmin family hailing from Nagpur district. During his teens, he worked for Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and student union wing of ABVP.

He started his political career as a grass root worker who laid down red carpets prior to party programmes. He prefers to maintains a low profile in the media. He did his M.Com, L.L.B., D.B.M. from Maharashtra, India.

He was elected unanimously as the President of BJP by it's members. The induction ceremony was held on 19th December, 2009 and he is expected to resume work from 25th December, 2009.

Nitin Gadkari is married to Kanchan Gadkari and they have three children; Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki. He currently resides in Nagpur close to the head office of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Political Career

Nitin Gadkari served as the Minister of Public Works Department of Govt. of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and restructured it from top to bottom.

Up-gradation of PWD

He undertook the project to computerize all activities in the department of PWD. He ordered complete replacement of furniture, fixtures and office equipments with trendy one's and imposed MNC similar codes for the department and it's employees.

Support for Privatization

He showed strong support for privatization when he campaigned for investment in the infrastructure areas from private firms. He addressed several meetings between private investors, contractors, builders and various trade organizations and diverted large amounts of budgeted projects towards privatization. He managed to convince the state to allocate Rs. 700 Crores for rural connectivity. In the next 4 years, 98% of the total population of Maharashtra achieved all-weather road connectivity. It also helped to solve the malnutrition problems prevailing in remote Melghat-Dharni area of Amravati district which previously had no access to Medical aid, Ration or Educational facilities. The project aimed to connect 13736 remote villages which remained unconnected since independence by road.

Establishment of MSRDC

Gadkari pushed for time bound completion of projects. He established Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, a fully Govt. owned company which undertook construction of 55 flyovers in Mumbai alone costing 1500 crores. Mumbai-Pune Expressway was another projected constructed by MSRDC during his tenure.

For the first time MSRDC a Govt. owned company went to the capital market and raised Rs. 1180 crores which was the largest collection in the Capital Market history of India. CRISIL gave an AAA rating to MSRDC.

He appointed a committee to help adopt and acquire technology and tools of international standards in construction of buildings and bridges and changed the existing bridge codes. The contractors thus imported computerized machinery worth 400 Crores like Vibrating rollers, electronic sensors, Paving machines, Pilling rigs, Pre-fab technique, etc. which were commissioned to be used for the first time in India.

Chairman of NRRDC

Union Government appointed him as Chairman of National Rural Road Development Committee. After series of meetings and study, Shri Gadkari submitted the report to central Govt. and gave the presentation to Hon. Prime Minister of India. His report was accepted and a new rural road connecting scheme now popularly known as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched. The ambitious scheme is of Rs. 60,000 Crores.

Other works during his Tenure

• He appointed a committee to study the accident-prone spots on the roads of Maharashtra and implemented committee suggestions with the budgetary provision of 20 crores.

• Gadkari promised and completed the pledge of completing the Sagri Marg which was a long awaited dream of the people of Konkan region in 4 years of his regime.

• Gadkari formulated the scientific methodology of BOT projects, initiated traffic surveys, worked out IRR (Internal rate of return) and made the govt. of maharashtra change the concession period of toll policy.

• During recession, he channeled 5000 crore into infrastructural projects which strengthened the cement, steel and bitumen industry of India.

• Gadkari implemented self-employment scheme for civil Engineers which enabled 18,000 Engineers to work independently.

• He organized the great plantation drive in Nagpur which planted 40 lakh trees in 2 years. He aimed to make Nagpur the Greenest City in India.

• He has visited countries like Israel, Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, United States, Canada, Brazil and Srilanka as part of the Indian Delegation for MSSIDC, MSRDC, Govt. of Maharashtra and Govt. of India.

Positions Served in the Past and Serving

• Ex Minister, Govt Of Maharashtra
• Chairman, Purti Group Of Companies
• President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra State
• Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council
• Former Minister for Public Works Department, Maharashtra State
• Member of Legislative Council, Maharashtra State
• Elected to the Maharashtra Govt. Legislative Council in 1989 from graduates constituency, Nagpur Region.
• Re-Elected in the year 1990.
• Re-Elected in the year 1996 and elected unopposed in 2002.
• Inducted in the Maharashtra State Government Cabinet as the Minister for Public Works on May 27 1995.
• Ex-Member of the High Power Committee for Privatisation, Government of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, India.
• Ex-Guardian Minister for Nagpur District, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Mining policy Implementation Committee, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Metropolis Beautification Committee, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council, Chairman National Rural Road Development Committee
• Chairman, Review Committee of CPWD, Govt. of India.
• State President of Bhartiya Janata Party, Maharashtra.

After a succesful stint as PWD Minister, Gadkari took over as President of the Maharashtra State Unit of the BJP in 2004. In 2009, when the BJP National President Rajnath Singh's term ended in December, Gadkari succeded him as the youngest ever President of BJP.

Industrial Career

Nitin Gadkari is an industrialist at heart first and then a politician. He is known to control these establishments in the following way.

Poly sack Industrial Society Ltd - Founder and Chairman. Nikhil Furniture and Appliances Pvt. Ltd - Promoter and Director. Antyodaya Trust - Founder and Member. Empress Employees Co-operative Paper Mills Ltd - Founder and Chairman.

Gadkari is also an agriculturist. He has promoted and has interests in the fields of Water Management, Solar Energy Projects and use of modern tools in agriculture. Recently, he started exporting fruits to various countries under the banner Ketaki overseas Trading Company.

Awards

He was honoured by Mumbai Bhushan Award and was felicitated by various organizations in Mumbai.