- With over 900 projects, India has emerged as the largest public and private partnership (PPP) market in the world, and its infrastructure models of airports, ports and highways have become developmental models for other countries.
- The Budget has focussed on fast tracking such projects in several areas by means of:
- An investment of more than Rs. 30,000 crore in National Highways Authority of India and State Roads, of which Rs. 3,000 crore is for the North-East.
- Rs. 14,389 crore to strengthen the Rashtriya Grameena Sadak Yojana, which was set up under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- Setting up of an institution namely 3P India to provide support to mainstreaming PPPs. – This is along PM Modi’s PPP route for development, in fact a 4P model, with P standing for People was implemented successfully in Vadodara during his time as Chief Minister.
- Additional 15,000 km of gag pipeline systems using appropriate PPP models – this will increase the usage of domestic and imported gas eventually reducing the dependence on any one energy source.
- The govt has so far approved 11 Transport and Highway projects which were stuck due to inordinate delays. It has also sought permission from the PM to approve projects which have been delayed due to a number of committee approvals required for their implementation.
- Even Shipping Ministry may follow suit contributing nearly 2% to GDP in the next couple of years.
- The govt is focussed on encouraging Indian contractors to boost local employment rather than attracting foreign investments in this sector.
- Read at:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/ppp-in-infrastructure-gets-a-big-push/article6199768.ece
- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/rs-37880-crore-to-be-pumped-into-nations-road-network/article6199573.ece