CCI to overrule meaningless objections on mega projects:Montek

Cabinet Committee on Investment will soon have powers to over-rule "meaningless objections" to mega infrastructure projects so that they are cleared in "one go", Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said today.

 

"The UPA government is going to empower the CCI on this front after it has been recommended by cell in CCI on fast track projects, exceeding investments of Rs 1,000 crore," Ahluwalia said at 'Infrastructure Conclave 2013: Fast Tracking Stalled Projects', organised by PHD Chamber.

 

He said: "CCI needs to be empowered with an option to overrule meaningless objections on infrastructure related ministries on one pretext or the other which arise out of petty issues so that stalled projects are cleared in one go.

 

"What India needs today is neutral experts in the area of environment and forests especially and not activists."

 

Ahluwalia added that neutral experts equally weigh the pros and cons of mega projects and make fair recommendations while activists, especially those on environment-related fields, generally tend to insist on stalling projects that are already half way through.

 

Ahluwalia said that in the next six months Indian industry will witness faster clearances of mega projects as government is actively considering suggestions to empower CCI with over-ruling powers.

 

In-charge of CCI secretariat, Anil Swarup, who is Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, said a total of 40 projects have been cleared worth investment of Rs 1.6 lakh crore since he took charge four months ago.

 

"It is still squatting on projects involving investments of Rs 12.5 lakh crore which roughly works out to be one-fifth of India's GDP," Swarup said.