New Delhi, September 28: In a significant development, six infrastructure projects encompassing roads and railways, with a cumulative value of Rs 52,000 crore, have been proposed for approval under the PM Gati Shakti initiative, according to an official statement released on Thursday.
The latest additions bring the total number of projects evaluated by the Network Planning Group (NPG) to 112, with a combined worth of approximately Rs 11.53 lakh crore, since the inception of PM Gati Shakti.
These six projects underwent assessment during the 56th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting, which took place on September 27. The meeting, conducted under the aegis of PM Gati Shakti, reviewed six project proposals, comprising four projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and two projects from the Ministry of Railways, amounting to a total project cost of about Rs 52,000 crore, as per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The NPG, an inter-ministerial body, convenes bi-weekly to evaluate infrastructure projects, ensuring multimodality, coordinated efforts, and comprehensive development within and around the project areas.
PM Gati Shakti was launched with the aim of creating integrated infrastructure to reduce logistics costs. All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects involving investments exceeding Rs 500 crore are channeled through the NPG, which is a prerequisite for project clearance by the Public Investment Board (PIB) or the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance.
Notably, the majority of projects recommended by the NPG pertain to roads, railways, and urban development. The National Master Plan (NMP) forms a pivotal component of this initiative, offering a comprehensive repository of geospatial data, encompassing physical and social infrastructure, land records, and more, all in one accessible location. This data-rich resource facilitates expedited planning and enhanced project design, maximizing the impact of investments.
The NPG comprises representatives from various connectivity infrastructure ministries and departments, with the heads of network planning divisions collaborating for unified planning and seamless integration of project proposals. Prior to advancing to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage, departments seeking project approval first approach the NPG for clearance. After receiving NPG approval, projects follow the standard procedure of clearance by the Ministry of Finance and subsequent approval by the Cabinet.
The portal houses over 1,400 layers of data, spanning land information, port details, forest coverage, highway data, and more. Its utilization by different ministries, including social sector departments and state governments, is on the rise, proving instrumental in effective project planning.
