Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various road projects costing Rs 2,367 crore in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur region and said the country will not progress until the development of its villages, poor people, labourers and farmers.

Addressing a programme, he said his ministry has not only constructed roads, but also ponds for the storage of water and it will also lead to water conservation.

"Till the development of villages, poor people, labourers and farmers does not take place, the country will not progress. There is a necessity to develop smart cities with smart villages for making India self-reliant India and roads play an important role in it," said the Union minister for road transport and highways.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, MP BJP president VD Sharma, Union ministers Virendra Kumar, Faggan Singh Kulaste and state ministers including Rakesh Singh and Prahlad Singh Patel were present on the occasion.

Gadkari inaugurated a bridge costing Rs 43 crore on the Jamni river on Tikamgarh-Jhansi road, Rs 148 crore two-lane Chandia Ghar to Katni Bypass and the work of widening of a four-lane road from Bamitha to Khajuraho with an estimated cost of Rs 73 crore.

He also laid the foundation stones of various road projects, including Gulganj Bypass to Barna river to be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 275 crore, renovation of a two-lane road from the Barna river to Ken river (Rs 316 crore), renovation of Shahdol to Sagar two-lane road (Rs 851 crore), construction of underpasses, bridges and service road on Lalitpur-Sagar-Lakhnadoun road (Rs 650 crore), overbridge on Suktara-Kurai-Khavasa (Rs 5 crore) and improvement of black spots on Ghunai and Banjari Ghati (Rs 4 crore).

These projects will benefit the agriculture, tourism, industries and coal sectors among others, the Union minister said.

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