Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for 15 national highway projects in Madhya Pradesh. The projects, involving an expenditure of Rs 100 billion, are inaugurated at separate functions held in Jabalpur and Bhopal. While speaking at the function held at the veterinary college ground in Jabalpur, Gadkari stated that a self-reliant India would consist of smart villages and smart cities. He went on to describe Jabalpur as the growth engine of Madhya Pradesh, emphasizing its importance from a tourism and education perspective. Gadkari highlighted the government's efforts in constructing roads and bridges, along with socio-cultural and economic development in Jabalpur. Gadkari expressed the view that the construction of roads plays a pivotal role in the development of industries, promotion of tourism, and agricultural exports, making roads a crucial axis for overall development. He further mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a self-reliant India, which is emerging as the world's third-largest economy. The goal of creating a 5 trillion economy is directly linked to the development of villages and farmers. Gadkari also pointed out that during the construction of national highways and ring roads, water storage tanks and ponds can be built to replace the soil and mud dug up. This approach would ensure water conservation and provide water to farmers for irrigation, leading to prosperity in villages and an increase in income if 75% of land in every village is irrigated. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, speaking at the event, stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the roads in the state are expanding and improving. He noted the significant increase in road infrastructure, from 1,000 km in 2013-14 to 1.61 lakh km in 10 years, with the speed of road construction jumping from 11.6 km per day to 29.6 km. Yadav praised the speed of India's development, which has garnered amazement worldwide, and attributed it to good governance practices established under PM Modi's leadership. Yadav emphasized the role of roads as the foundation of development, stating that the destiny of a country is determined by its roads. He highlighted the immense potential for development in Mahakaushal and Jabalpur area, expressing the commitment to leave no stone unturned for the development of this region. In Jabalpur, Gadkari and Yadav laid the foundation stone for 226 km long 9 National Highway projects at a cost of Rs 23.67 billion.