New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari said Tuesday that the estimated loss to the exchequer in the 2G spectrum scam could have helped bring 20 crore people out of poverty.

 
 Speaking at the concluding session of a two-day workshop of the party on “Slums development Antyodaya initiatives” here, Gadkari said the estimated loss of Rs.1,76,000 crore to the exchequer in the 2G spectrum allocation controversy could have helped 20 crore people come above the poverty line.
 
 The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in its report on the 2G spectrum contoversy had adopted three different methodologies to estimate the loss to exchequer and one of the calculations had put the figure at Rs.1,76,000 crore.
 
 The figure was subsequently disputed by the government. 
 
 "I am a student of economics and have made some calculations and 20 crore would have come out of poverty with Rs.1,76,000 crore," Gadkari said.
 
 The aim of political work should not only be contesting elections but also to serve people through social work, he said.
 
 Gadkari said he was promoting solar energy in villages which do not have electricity.
 
 He said if villages had good facilities, people will start going back from cities to rural areas.
 
 Gadkari urged party workers to engage in social work from their heart and not to treat it as a mere photo opportunity.
 
 “Do it honestly. Do not indulge in drama. Just spend one-tenth of your time in social work... You will feel a deep sense of satisfaction. It will give you energy to work,” he said.