Odisha lags in implementation of transports services projects

Out of outstanding investments of Rs 93,944 cr in state as on Dec 2013, only Rs 3,3151.3 cr, roughly 35%, under implementation

Odisha figures among the bottom five states with low level of transports services investment under implementation, according to an industry survey.

Out of outstanding investments of Rs 93,944 crore in the state as on December 2013, only Rs 3,3151.3 crore, roughly 35 per cent, are under implementation, according a study by the apex industry body, The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

Apart from Odisha, the others in the bracket of bottom five states with low transports services investment under implementation are Chhattisgarh (with 21.1 per cent of live investment), Himachal Pradesh (28.5 per cent of live investment), Karnataka (29.4 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (36.9 per cent).

“As of December 2013, live investments in transports services are valued at Rs 22.23 lakh crore. Out of this, only Rs 12.7 lakh crore (roughly 57 per cent) worth projects are under implementation,” Assocham said.

The states having less than all-India under implementation transports services investments are Tamil Nadu (with 41.6 per cent of live investment), Assam (48.4 per cent ), Madhya Pradesh (54.8 per cent), Maharashtra ( 55.1 per cent), Gujarat (55.7 per cent) and Rajasthan ( 56.9 per cent).

Between December 2009 and 2013 investments under implementation has declined from 48.62 per cent to 35.29 per cent in Odisha. The other states with a falling implementation record are Chhattisgarh from 98.21 per cent to 21.14 per cent, Assam from 96.12 per cent to 48.39, Tamil Nadu from 54.23 per cent to 41.57 per cent and Kerala from 77.2 per cent to 63.04 per cent during the same period.

According to the industry body, 44.1 per cent of households do not have any mode of transportation and largely depend on the public transportation services. In rural India, 47.2 per cent of households do not own any mode of transportation and the same is 37.6 per cent in case of urban areas. Public private partnership (PPP) is the most suitable model for transport services’ development in India.

Besides, infrastructure development, promotion of green-energy based transportation and extension of financial incentives like tax sops to industrialists willing to invest in transport related services in rural and other backward areas would spruce up transportation scenario across India, the report said.

There is a need to bring in expertise within the whole transport system from policy making to designing and execution, DS Rawat, secretary general, Assocham said.