New Delhi, Jan 19 : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday strongly advocated a generational shift in leadership, stressing that younger leaders should be given greater responsibility once systems are running smoothly, while seniors should gradually step aside.
Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur ahead of the Advantage Vidarbha–Khasdar Audhyogik Mahotsav, Gadkari said the initiative has been deliberately designed to involve the next generation of leadership. The industrial expo, conceptualised by Gadkari, is being organised by Ashish Kale, president of the Association for Industrial Development (AID).
“I believe that gradually, the generation should also change,” Gadkari said. Referring to Kale, he added, “Ashish’s father is my friend. Now we should be gradually made to retire and the responsibility be given to the new generation. When the vehicle starts running smoothly, then we should withdraw and do some other work.”
Gadkari, who serves as the chief mentor of AID, said this will be the third edition of the Advantage Vidarbha expo, scheduled to be held in Nagpur from February 6 to 8. He highlighted Vidarbha’s strong entrepreneurial base and said the three-day event aims to position the region as a key emerging industrial hub on India’s growth map.
“There are very good entrepreneurs in Vidarbha across multiple sectors,” the minister said, adding that the expo is intended to showcase local industrial capabilities and attract fresh investments to the region.
He also emphasised the need for balanced development across industry, agriculture and allied activities, as well as the services sector, stating that sustainable regional growth depends on synergy among all three.
According to organisers, the Advantage Vidarbha expo will see participation from a wide spectrum of industries, including textiles, plastics, minerals, coal, aviation, logistics, information technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, defence, real estate, renewable energy and startups.