Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched an online “holistic governance” system — PM Gati Shakti — for integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure projects worth over ₹111 lakh crore in the next four years to expedite works on the ground, save costs, create jobs and bring in prosperity.
“PM Gati Shakti Master Plan not only brings together governmental processes and various stakeholders but also helps to connect different modes of transportation. This is an extension of holistic governance,” he said while institutionalising an integrated approach of implementing infrastructure projects initially by 16 central ministries. He also inaugurated a new exhibition complex at Pragati Maidan in the Capital.
Speaking in Hindi, he said with the resolve of Aatmnirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India), the foundation of India for the next 25 years is being laid. He added it will provide “Gati Shakti [speed and power] to the 21st century India”.
The integrated approach is in line with the government’s plan to raise capital expenditure to boost the economy.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech on February 1, announced a ₹5.54 lakh crore capital expenditure plan in the current financial year. In August, she also unveiled a ₹6 lakh crore plan to monetise the central government’s brownfield assets in four years, which is coterminous with the ₹111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline.
Modi said an integrated approach will change the perception behind the age-old signage, “work in progress” indicating uncompleted infrastructure projects. He added the signage had become “the symbol of lack of trust”, but “today’s 21st century India is leaving behind these old systems and practices.”
“Today’s mantra is — ‘Work for Progress’, ‘Wealth for Progress’, ‘Plan for progress’, ‘Preference for progress’… We have not only developed a work culture of completing the projects within the stipulated time frame but efforts are now being made to complete the projects ahead of time,” he said.
He said during a review of infrastructure projects in 2014, he found that hundreds of them were incomplete due to a lack of departmental coordination. Modi said all projects have been brought on a single platform to try and remove hurdles. “Now the focus is on avoiding delays due to lack of coordination… Because of this, many unfinished projects are being completed,” he said.
Modi said the change in approach has resulted in expeditious completion of infra projects. He added before 2014, only 1,900 km of railway lines underwent doubling. But, he said, in the last seven years, more than 9,000 km of railway lines have been doubled. Only 3,000 km of railways were electrified before 2014, but in the last seven years, more than 24,000 km of railway tracks have been electrified, he said. Similarly, Modi said, before 2014 only 60 gram panchayats were connected with the optical fibre, which is now expanded to 150,000 panchayats in just seven years.
Modi said infrastructure was not a priority for most of the political parties as it was not even visible in their manifesto. Now, some opposition parties are criticising the construction of necessary infrastructure, he said. It is globally accepted that the creation of quality infrastructure is the way for sustainable development, which gives rise to several economic activities and creates employment on a large scale, he added.
Modi said the change in approach has resulted in expeditious completion of infra projects. He added before 2014, only 1,900 km of railway lines underwent doubling. But, he said, in the last seven years, more than 9,000 km of railway lines have been doubled. Only 3,000 km of railways were electrified before 2014, but in the last seven years, more than 24,000 km of railway tracks have been electrified, he said. Similarly, Modi said, before 2014 only 60 gram panchayats were connected with the optical fibre, which is now expanded to 150,000 panchayats in just seven years.
Modi said infrastructure was not a priority for most of the political parties as it was not even visible in their manifesto. Now, some opposition parties are criticising the construction of necessary infrastructure, he said. It is globally accepted that the creation of quality infrastructure is the way for sustainable development, which gives rise to several economic activities and creates employment on a large scale, he added.
Speaking at the event, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said: “This is yet another example where India is setting a global benchmark for digital governance.”
“Building and managing high-quality infrastructure is a national enterprise. Furthermore, roads and rivers do not respect state boundaries. A holistic approach to infrastructure, therefore, has to navigate the challenges of working through a complex federal system. It is almost like conducting a grand yet complex orchestra. The outcome is a symphony like Gati Shakti,” he said.
Confederation of Indian Industry president TV Narendran said the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan is “a gamechanger for the industry” due to “scale and speed”.
Narendran, who is also CEO & managing director of Tata Steel Ltd, highlighted five key impacts of the PM Gati Shakti. “First, with a GIS-based ERP system to map the existing and proposed connectivity projects, there will be immense clarity on how different regions and industrial hubs in the country are linked, particularly for last-mile connectivity,” he said.
“Second, a holistic and integrated transport connectivity strategy which incorporates roads and highways, railways, ports, airports and waterways into a single, well-targeted, synergistic network will greatly support Make in India and integrate different modes of transport,” he said.
His third point pertained to the ability to enhance manufacturing competitiveness. “The competitiveness disability that Indian industry faces on account of higher logistics cost is significant and will be reduced with strategic planning under Gati Shakti,” he said.
In his speech, Modi said that India’s competitiveness in the global market is constrained because of a high 13% logistics cost.
Narendran said the fourth major contribution of the system is its ability to facilitate infrastructure construction, thereby generating a large number of employments, particularly in rural areas. Gati Shakti will also enable and facilitate planning, implementation, monitoring, and administration of transport infrastructure projects on an ongoing basis, he added.