Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that the purpose behind hiking penalties for traffic offenses was to save lives, and even Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have supported the move. Defending the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act at a recently held conclave in Mumbai, Gadkari recalled his own traumatic experience of a road accident.

"High penalties under the Act are not a means for revenue generation. They are meant to save lives," he said during an interactive session."

Five lakh accidents take place (in the country) every year, in which about 1.5 lakh people die, nearly three lakh become disabled. 65% of the victims are in the age group of 18 to 35 years," he said.

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Relaxation of fines in some States 

When asked by the interlocutor about opposition to hiked fines by even the BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat, he said, "Why don't you also mention that (Congress President) Sonia Gandhi and (Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader) Arvind Kejriwal have supported the Act. "Recalling a personal experience, Gadkari said that when he was the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, he and his family members were injured in a road accident, and he was hospitalised for a year.

"I understand the sufferings (of accident victims)," the BJP leader said. He went on saying that the penalties can be decided by the states and denied that there was any rift between the Centre and the BJP-ruled States over the issue. The State governments can levy fines in the range between the minimum and maximum limits prescribed in the Act, he said.

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Gadkari on Economic Slowdown

When asked about the economic slowdown, Gadkari said that the economy was facing some problems because of the global situation, demand-supply dynamics, and business cycles. "Ups and downs are not permanent. GDP will recover. We are doing better than the USA and China. We must keep a positive attitude. The economy will accelerate. The objective of the five trillion USD economy will be achieved," the senior Minister said.

Gadkari, who also holds the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises portfolio, said that MSME's contribution to the economy is 29%.

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"We have a plan to boost the MSME sector with a provision of Rs 10,000 crore. If MSMEs list with the National Stock Exchange, out of the total capital raised, 10 percent capital will be from the Government," he said.

While the real estate sector was going through a slump, but the infrastructure and road sector was doing well, Gadkari claimed.

On the Narendra Modi government's 2016 decision to scrap nearly 86% of the currency to fight black money, which some economists described as a body blow to the economy, Gadkari said that demonetisation was a "reform" and not a problem.

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