Government Initiatives and Investments

Some of the recent government initiatives and investments in the Infrastructure sector are as follows:

• In Union Budget 2022-23:
  • The government has given a massive push to the infrastructure sector by allocating Rs. 10 lakh crore (US$ 130.57 billion) to enhance the infrastructure sector.
  • The government allocated Rs. 134,015 crore (US$ 17.24 billion) to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
  • The government announced an outlay of Rs. 60,000 crore (US$ 7.72 billion) for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
  • The government announced Rs. 76,549 crore (US$ 9.85 billion) to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • The government allocated Rs. 84,587 crore crore (US$ 10.87 billion) to the Department of Telecommunications to create and augment telecom infrastructure in the country.
  • The total revenue expenditure by Railways is projected to be Rs. 234,640 crore (US$ 30.48 billion)
  • 100 PM-GatiShakti Cargo Terminals for multimodal logistics facilities will be developed over next three years.
  • Focus was on the PM GatiShakti - National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity to economic zones. Everything, from roads to trains, from aviation to agriculture, as well as many ministries and departments, will be integrated under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
• In September 2022, the government approved rail-cum-road bridge across Brahmaputra river near the existing Saraighat bridge at Guwahati at the cost of Rs. 996.75 crore (US$ 122.27 million) which will be shared by NHAI & Ministry of Railways.
• In FY 2022-23 (until October 20, 2022), passenger earnings stood at Rs. 33,838.16 crore (US$ 4.15 billion).
• In August 2022, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways laid foundation stone of six NH projects worth Rs. 2,300 crore (US$ 287.89 million) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• In FY23 (until September 2022), the combined index of eight core industries stood at 142.8 driven by the production of coal, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, electricity and cement industries.
• In June 2022 Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways inaugurated 15 National Highway projects in Patna and Hajipur in Bihar worth Rs. 13,585 crore (US$ 1.75 billion)
• FDI in construction development (townships, housing, built-up infrastructure and construction development projects) and construction (infrastructure) activity sectors stood at US$ 26.22 billion and US$ 28.64 billion, respectively, between April 2000-June 2022.
• In March 2022, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highway inaugurated 19 National Highway projects in Haryana and Rajasthan totaling Rs. 1,407 crore (US$ 183.9 million).
• The government expanded the ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP)’ to 9,335 projects. 217 projects worth Rs. 1.10 lakh crore (US$ 15.09 billion) were completed as of 2020.
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• In November 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$ 250-million loan to support development of the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP). This is a part of the US$ 500-million loan to build 11 industrial corridors bridging 17 states.
• In November 2021, India, the US, Israel and the UAE established a new quadrilateral economic forum to focus on infrastructure development projects in the region and strengthen bilateral co-operation.
• The initiative ‘Infrastructure for Resilient Island States’ (launched in November 2021) will give India a huge opportunity to contribute to the betterment of other vulnerable countries in the world.
• In October 2021, the Union Cabinet of India approved the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan—including implementation, monitoring and support mechanism—for providing multi-modal connectivity.
• In October 2021, the Dubai government and India, inked an agreement to develop infrastructure such as industrial parks, IT towers, multipurpose towers, logistics centres, a medical college and a specialised hospital in Jammu & Kashmir.
• In FY22, government initiatives such the National Infrastructure Pipeline, National Monetisation Pipeline, Bharatmala Pariyojana, changes in the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and fast pace of asset monetization to boost road construction.
• To encourage rooftop solar (RTS) throughout the country, notably in rural regions, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is undertaking Rooftop Solar Programme Phase II, which aims to install RTS capacity of 4,000 MW in the residential sector by 2022 with a provision of subsidy.
• In May 2021, Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Nitin Gadkari stated that the government is giving utmost priority to infrastructure development and has set a target of road construction of worth Rs.15 lakh crore (US$ 206 billion) in the next two years.
• The Ministry of Railways plans to monetise assets including Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors after commissioning, induction of 150 modern rakes through PPP, station redevelopment through PPP, railway land parcels, multifunctional complexes (MFC), railway colonies, hill railways and stadiums.
• Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) scheme was launched to establish world-class infrastructure in the textile sector and establish seven textile parks over three years.
• The government announced Rs. 305,984 crore (US$ 42 billion) over the next five years for a revamped, reforms-based and result-linked new power distribution sector scheme.