NEW DELHI (TIP): An integrated policy is on the anvil to ramp up infrastructure at a time when India’s revenue receipts are set to touch the Rs 30 lakh-crore mark in the next two years, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said.

“An integrated policy for the sector will be formulated and placed before the nation to bolster its economic growth. Unlike the precedent of working in silos, various ministries like road, port, rail, aviation and shipping would closely coordinate,” said Gadkari, who holds the portfolio of road transport, highways and shipping, after inaugurating the India Integrated Transport and Logistics Summit 2017 here.

The maiden IITL summit saw various government departments come together on a single platform.

Gadkari said such a huge initiative is taken for the first time and various departments will hold meetings to chalk out a policy which could be placed before the Cabinet or the Prime Minister.

This is seen as a step towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of holistic development as augmenting infrastructure, the topmost priority of the government, will help eradicate poverty.

The minister is optimistic that the three-day summit, which got under way today, would garner Rs 2 lakh crore investment.

The summit is in line with the government’s plans to have an effective multi-modal logistics and transport sector to make Indian economy more competitive.

Claiming that this government is “pro-poor”, the minister added that extensive planning to boost infrastructure will not only reduce the high logistics cost, but realise the dream of double-digit growth soon.

“If we have to wipe out poverty, if we want to achieve double-digit growth, we will have to augment infrastructure in an integrated manner and we are focusing on developing a network of waterways, railways and highways,” Gadkari said.

Terming GST as “a historic decision”, the minister exuded confidence that the major tax reform coupled with demonetisation are bound to give a push to the country’s total revenue receipts.

“Post-demonetisation and GST regime, India’s revenue receipts are likely to touch Rs 28-30 lakh crore in the next two years coupled with steps to strengthen infrastructure,” Gadkari said.

When the NDA government took over in 2014, the revenue receipts read Rs 13 lakh crore, which could scale up to Rs 20 lakh crore during the three years of the present regime, the minister pointed out.

He also touched on employment part, saying holistic development of a massive network of roads, ports, rail and aviation will create more jobs.

His ministry, Gadkari said, is taking the length of National Highways to 2 lakh km soon and is committed to achieving a target of building 40 km of roads a day from the current 23 km.

Thirteen expressways are on the anvil and work has been initiated on five of them with a target of completing the Rs 12,000 crore Eastern Peripheral Expressway by August 15 this year.