PM GatiShakti: 196 critical infrastructure gap projects identified

PM Modi will also launch ULIP that will enable integration with existing data sources of ministries, as well as data exchange with private players

The government has identified 196 critical infrastructure gap projects pertaining to port connectivity, movement of coal, and steel and food products, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said on Thursday.

These projects were identified by undertaking audits of the critical last and first mile infrastructure gaps. The issue is now being coordinated with the concerned government department by an inter-ministerial panel–Network Planning Group–under the GatiShakti initiative.

DPIIT Secretary Anurag Jain said since the launch of the initiative last year, Gati Shakti-led digital technology initiative was helping in reducing the execution of infrastructure projects. “Project planning has become faster. DPR planning time has gone down from six months to one month, the land acquisition process has become faster and can be done in a few hours now,” Jain said, adding that the process of preparing the document before even starting the land acquisition process used to take around 6 months till now.

The PM GatiShakti national masterplan is an integrated plan, which will address the missing gaps to ensure seamless movement of people, goods and services. Government departments have started to make use of PM GatiShakti-led digital technology initiative to reduce the execution of infrastructure projects.

“All central ministries have uploaded 900-plus data layers, state governments have uploaded 600-plus data layers. This data is available for Centre and state for planning their infrastructure projects,” Amrit Lal Meena, special secretary, logistics division under DPIIT, said.

According to the industry department, resolution of issues for time-bound project implementation has gained momentum through the project monitoring group (PMG) mechanism and 1,288 issues have been resolved in the past eight months. Of these, 40 per cent of issues are related to land acquisition, 25-20 per cent on environment, forest and wildlife clearances, 15 per cent on right of use and right of way cases.

“Normally in a year, around 500 issues were resolved after a lot of persuasion (with respective departments),” Meena said, adding the involvement of states had become more intense in identifying the critical infrastructure gaps.

Logistics policy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will launch the national logistics policy that aims to promote seamless movement of goods across the country. The policy is being brought in tandem with the PM GatiShakti national master plan that was launched to build robust infrastructure, fill the missing gaps in logistics and draw more investments into the country. It is also expected to draw focus on broader policy on formulation of  warehousing standards, building sector-specific logistics plan, giving thrust to digitisation, a senior government official said.

Modi will also launch the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) that will enable integration with existing data sources of ministries, as well as data exchange with private players.

Some states such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh have already formed their logistics policy. Logistics policies of 13 states are still in the draft stage.