Union Minister for Surface Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari praised India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi while addressing the conference 'Vidarbha's Role in India@100 Vision' organised by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) at Nagpur on Sunday.
Gadkari said that in order to make Vidarbha a prosperous region, we should remember the words of Nehru and Gandhi. "Nehruji said that India needs maximum production, while Gandhiji said that we need maximum production with the involvement of the maximum number of people." The minister was delivering the keynote address at the CII conference. He also opened the first office of CII in the Nagpur region.
Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur
The Union Minister emphasised the need for green industry, integrated logistics, and agro-based value chains to fuel Vidarbha's transformation. "Vidarbha must lead India's next industrial wave green, inclusive, and innovation-driven. The new CII Vidarbha zonal office in Nagpur will be a vital platform where policy, enterprise, and talent converge. If India is to become a developed nation by 2047, Vidarbha must lead from the front," he said.
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"The future of Vidarbha lies in green industry and integrated logistics. Nagpur must become a model where infrastructure supports enterprise, and enterprise uplifts the last mile," said Gadkari. He urged all stakeholders, from industry and academia to civil society, to unite to transform Vidarbha into a vibrant, innovation-led economic zone.
Rishi Kumar Bagla, Chairman of the CII Western Region, said that the new Vidarbha zonal office reflected the industry body's commitment to decentralised engagement and region-specific development. Nagpur, strategically located at the confluence of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, the office will act as a key platform for policy advocacy, industry-academia collaboration, and MSME competitiveness.
Shree Jamdar, Chairman, CII Vidarbha Zonal Council focused on inclusive economic models. Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman of Solar Industries, shared reflections on building global enterprises from smaller cities like Nagpur.