Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], May 2 (ANI): Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that significant development work has been carried out in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region over the past three decades, particularly in tribal and remote districts.

Recalling earlier conditions in the region, Gadkari said that 'during his tenure as a state minister, areas like Chandrapur and Gadchiroli witnessed Naxal-related challenges, adding that travel conditions were once so sensitive that officials were advised to use air routes for safety'.

Paying tribute to social reformer Baba Amte, he said Amte had also worked extensively in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts. Gadkari further stated that the region once faced severe underdevelopment and a lack of education, referring to extreme conditions and malnutrition in parts of Melghat in Amravati district, where he claimed several child deaths had occurred in the past.

He said that large-scale development initiatives have since been undertaken in Melghat, including investment in infrastructure and livelihood generation. Gadkari added that no government subsidy would be required for certain ongoing initiatives and stressed that the focus should remain on employment generation for tribal youth.

Highlighting educational and skill development efforts, he said, 'institutions such as Gondwana University should promote bamboo-based industries and create employment opportunities'. He also spoke about the need for establishing tribal-focused universities and strengthening higher education in remote regions.

'Those who used to call the sea a lake got to see Mumbai 1st students and 5000 teachers. Now we have set the target. The program is held in the language of the Gondi caste. We are working to reach other tribal areas in the coming time', he said.

Gadkari said that 'development in tribal areas must be prioritised and recalled that administrative and social reforms in the region have evolved significantly over the decades'.

He added that the government and associated organisations have worked to expand outreach in these areas, including education and training initiatives for students and teachers.

He also mentioned that programmes are being conducted in local tribal languages, including Gondi, to improve accessibility and participation in education and development schemes.

Earlier on May 1, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the launch of the country's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of National Highway-48 in Gujarat.

Sharing the update on X, the minister said, 'This state-of-the-art solution enables seamless toll collection without halting vehicles, leveraging advanced technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag.'He described the rollout as a step towards digitising the tolling ecosystem and modernising national highway infrastructure'.

The introduction of MLFF marks a significant step towards digitising the tolling ecosystem and modernising National Highway infrastructure to global standards. This transformative system will reduce travel time, ease congestion, improve fuel efficiency, lower vehicular emissions, and minimise human intervention in toll operations,' the minister noted.

The minister noted, 'Barrier-less tolling will enhance 'Ease of Living' for citizens while strengthening 'Ease of Doing Business' by enabling faster and more efficient movement of goods and logistics,' making the process more efficient and transparent.

The minister said the introduction of MLFF aligns with the government's focus on building technology-driven and commuter-friendly infrastructure under the leadership of Narendra Modi. (ANI)