Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the economic reforms started by Manmohan Singh as the Finance Minister in 1991 gave a new direction to India as it ushered in a liberal economy.

Lauding the economic reforms initiated by Manmohan Singh, he said that the country is indebted to the former Prime Minister for these.

Gadkari said that India needs a liberal economic policy to provide benefits to poor people, adding a liberal economic policy is for farmers and poor people, he added.

In his address at TIOL Awards 2022 event, organized by the portal 'TaxIndiaOnline', he recalled that he could raise money to build roads in Maharashtra when he was a state minister in the mid-1990s due to economic reforms initiated by the former Prime Minister.

On how India's economic growth can further accelerate, the Minister said that India will need more Capex investment. He said that the NHAI is also raising money from the common man for the construction of highways.

He also talked about the construction of 26 green expressways in the Country and the Ministry is not facing a shortage of money for this. (KB/IANS)