New Delhi: As many as 293 big infrastructure projects entailing an investment of Rs. 13.59 lakh crore have been evaluated so far for integrated planning, multimodality, whole of government approach and last-mile connectivity under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan that was launched in 2021, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that as on date, 57 Central ministries/departments, including 8 infrastructure ministries such as Highways, Railways, Ports, Power and Communications, 22 social, and 27 economic & other ministries/departments have been onboarded on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. The platform includes 36 states and UTs to increase synergy between the Centre and states.
The minister said that the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan has no specific or separate fund allocation. However, the Ministry of Finance under the “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for 2022- 23” made a provision of Rs 5,000 crore for disbursement among the states for PMGS-related infrastructure development.
According to a study carried out by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), India’s logistics costs have come down to between 7.8-8.9 per cent of GDP, significantly lower than previously assumed figures of 13-14 per cent following the implementation of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
This positions India favourably for achieving world-class logistics efficiency through coordinated infrastructure development, according to the report, titled ‘Gati Se Pragati.’
Simultaneously, India’s improvement in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index from 44th to 38th in 2023 indicates positive momentum, though substantial scope exists for further advancement, the report states.
The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan is India’s most ambitious infrastructure coordination initiative, fundamentally reshaping how the nation approaches connectivity and economic development. This report states that the seven engines framework represents a holistic approach encompassing roads, railways, airports, ports, waterways, mass transit, and logistics infrastructure, each contributing distinct value to India’s connectivity ecosystem.
The programme’s targets are ambitious: expanding national highways to 200,000 km, increasing railway freight capacity to 1,600 million tonnes, establishing 200-220 new airports, and achieving comprehensive multi-modal integration.
The economic impact assessment demonstrates substantial multiplier effects from infrastructure investments, with each rupee invested generating between 2.5 and 4.0 times economic output, depending on the infrastructure type. Roads and railways exhibit the highest multipliers, while emerging sectors like inland waterways present significant untapped potential.
(IANS)
