Nagpur, Jan 4 : Unemployment is the biggest of the major problems facing the country, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Fiday said, adding that there was a "difference" between employment and jobs.

He was addressing a youth empowerment summit organised by Fortune Foundation here.

Speaking on employment generation, Gadkari said, "To address the problem of unemployment, not everyone can get jobs. Because there is a difference between employment and jobs. There are limitations to jobs and therefore creation of employment is the main part of the financial policy of any government."

"There is a need to think about how to create employment opportunities in rural and urban areas of the country," Gadkari added.

He claimed that the Maharashtra government had managed to create jobs in Vidarbha, particularly Nagpur in the last four years, and cited Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport (MIHAN), the Butibori MIDC area and Nagpur metro rail as examples.

"Chief Minister (Devendra) Fadnavis and I are both from Nagpur and had decided to provide employment to at least 50,000 youths of Vidarbha," he said.

"Accordingly, about 27,000 youths have already got employment opportunities in various ways and the figure will cross 50,000 by next year," Gadkari claimed.

Stressing that electricity, water and roads were required for industries that would generate employment, Gadkari said the state government was working towards it.

He said the state was working towards achieving electricity surplus and was also building Rs 1 lakh crore worth of roads in the Vidarbha region.

Gadkari informed that the Union government will be initiating irrigation works estimated at Rs 1 lakh crore in Maharashtra.

"About Rs 9.5 lakh crore loans have been distributed under Mudra Yojana initiated by the Prime Minister. Besides, Rs 11 lakh crore loan has been distributed in the agriculture sector," he said.

He quoted Mahatma Gandhi and said "we want maximum production with involvement of maximum number of persons".

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.

India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.

After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.

De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.

The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.

Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.

De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.

India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.

The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.

But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.

What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).

Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.

Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.

All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.

Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.