Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the Gati Shakti or national master plan for multi-modal connectivity to expedite infrastructure project implementation and accelerate economic growth.
The Gati Shakti national plan will provide accurate information and guidance for the completion of the government's projects within the stipulated time-frame, make policymaking effective and cutting unnecessary government expenditure, Modi said at the launch of the master plan in the national capital.
“Just as we have been successful in taking the government facilities in the country to the right beneficiary faster with the power of JAM trinity--JanDhan-Aadhaar-Mobile-- PM Gatishakti is going to do the same work in the field of infrastructure. It is bringing a holistic vision from infrastructure planning to execution of the entire country,” Modi said.
Spearheaded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Gati Shakti is a digital platform that will bring 16 ministries including rail and roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
Till now, infrastructural initiatives in various sectors were not working in tandem with each other, hurting decision making and the pace of economic development. With the launch of the master plan, planning and designing separately, projects will be designed and executed with a common vision, breaking inter-ministerial silos.
“Our private players also do not know where a road is going to pass through, or the location of a proposed canal or power station. This hinders their planning process. The solution to all these problems will be the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan,” Modi said.
The master plan has been prepared depicting the economic zones and infrastructure linkages required to support them with an objective to holistically integrate all the multimodal connectivity projects and remove missing gaps for seamless movement of people, goods and services. The comprehensive map provides a bird’s eye view of infrastructure development with key layers based on completion timelines of various economic zones, infrastructure and utilities across the country.
Arindam Guha, Partner, Leader, Government and Public Services, Deloitte India said if the multiplier effect of infrastructure investments on GDP is to be maximized within a short time frame, it is critical that specific infrastructure projects which form part of critical trade routes, both internal and external, be prioritized.
“For example, specific road and rail connectivity linkages or evacuation points like ports, airports which form part of designated industrial corridors like DMIC, East Coast Economic Corridor or Amritsar Kolkata Freight Corridor are likely to have a disproportionate positive impact on trade flows of multiple products manufactured in the corridor. Same is the case with last mile connectivity infrastructure to large operational and upcoming industrial parks which are on the verge of completion. The Gati Shakti initiative, with its technology platform for real time monitoring of projects and supporting coordination mechanisms between concerned ministries and government agencies is expected to provide a major boost in the prioritization of such projects,” Guha said.
The plan is built on a single platform ranging in three time periods-- status as on 2014-15, achievements made by 2020-21 and planned interventions up to 2024-25 for providing visibility about the completion of projects and thus, helping different ministries to plan their activities.
An Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary is proposed to be constituted for approving any changes in the Master Plan to meet any emerging requirements.
The industry also welcomed the initiative. “Coming close on the heels of the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the National Monetisation Plan, the Gati Shakti vision would underscore the primacy of place accorded by the Prime Minister to develop world class infrastructure facilities which is crucial to improve business sentiment and speed up the country’s vision to emerge as a $5 trillion economy in near future,” T V Narendran, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said.