PM Gatishakti: So far, 208 major infrastructure projects worth Rs 15.39 lakh crore of various ministries, including road and railways, have been recommended for approval under the PM Gatishakti initiative. A senior government official gave this information on Saturday. These projects have been recommended by the Network Planning Group (NPG) constituted under the PM Gatishakti initiative launched on October 13, 2021.

Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia told reporters that 208 projects worth Rs 15.39 lakh crore have been appraised so far under this initiative. He said there are several benefits of using this system, including a significant reduction in the time and cost of planning these infrastructure projects. The maximum number of projects recommended by the group are roads (101), railways (73), urban development (12), and four projects related to the oil and gas ministry.

The inter-ministerial NPG meets every fortnight and evaluates infrastructure projects to ensure multi-modality, coordination of efforts, and comprehensive development around the project site. The initiative was launched to develop an integrated infrastructure to reduce logistics costs. All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects with an investment of more than Rs 500 crore are channeled through the NPG. The NPG's approval is required before the project is cleared by the Public Investment Board (PIB) or the Department of Expenditure under the Finance Ministry.

Bhatia said the government is aiming to provide access to the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan (NMP) portal to the private sector this year, and discussions are on for details. Bhatia said there are some sensitive data regarding the NMP and they should not be exposed. So, we are identifying them. We will also consult with the private sector. Discussions are on, and details will be worked out. We are aiming to launch it this year, he told reporters through video conferencing.