By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 23, 2018: WHILE addressing the gathering at the inauguration of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre at the Indian Embassy in Dushanbe, the Union Minister, Mr Nitin Gadkari informed that India is trying to make Chabahar Port in Iran operational by 2019. The opening up of the Chabahar Port would make the CIS countries more accessible, he added.

Mr Gadkari also spoke at length about the efforts and initiatives taken by the NDA Government in the last four years to bring qualitative change in the lives of people. He talked about the massive work being done in the infrastructure sector, with National Highways being built at an unprecedented pace of 28km/day. He said the country is growing at a very fast pace under a corruption free, transparent and committed government led by Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi.

The Minister was on a two day official visit to Tajikistan to represent India at the high level global conference on 'International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development'. He held wide-ranging talks with Mr Sirodjidin Muhridin, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan during this visit, in which the two leaders underlined the need to give further impetus to the ongoing bilateral cooperation in various fields and agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in the area of sustainable water development. Mr Gadkari had also conveyed to the Tajikistan leader, Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi's commitment towards expanding economic cooperation between the two countries and said that New Delhi would be willing to share with Tajikistan, Indian expertise in building quality infrastructure.

Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre at Dushanbe will offer classes in Hindi, Sanskrit, Yoga and various performing arts like music and dance to the Indian diaspora as well as Tajik people. The Centre has generated a lot of interest and excitement amongst the Tajik people.