System to monitor PPP projects okayed

To ensure timely completion of projects undertaken in public-private partnership (PPP) mode, the government on Thursday decided to set up an institutional mechanism to oversee contract performance during the construction stage.

The mechanism will also monitor a project in the post-construction usage stage. It will have a two-tier system — Projects Monitoring Unit and Performance Review Unit . Later, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said he wanted to make these reports public. Adding: “I am in favour of putting these in public domain. I will get the Prime Minister's approval.”

Other clearances
The Cabinet on Thursday approved the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme for the electronics sector under which, the government will provide up to Rs 10,000 crore in benefits to the industry over the next five years for promoting production of electronics components. It also approved a Rs 648-crore project in Uttar Pradesh for widening the Rai Bareli-Jaunpur highway section.