PM to keep tabs on infrastructure projects

Secretaries of the ministries concerned will brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi once a month on key infrastructure projects.

This decision was taken after Sindhushree Khullar, secretary, Planning Commission, on Saturday presented to the prime minister India’s infrastructure targets and achievements.

Projects under review include high-speed rail freight corridors, a gas pipeline grid and clean energy.

An official who attended the presentation said inter-ministerial meetings would also take place every month.

“There is a lot of focus from the prime minister’s office on efficiency in power transmission, full metering, increased deployment of clean energy, an improved gas supply network and an overall technical improvement of the sector,” said the official who did not wish to be named.

Another  person close to development said the budget of the ministry of new and renewable energy was likely to be increased to Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) from the current Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion).

Several clean energy schemes were announced in the budget.

About 25 new solar parks of 500 Mw capacity are planned to be set up across the country.

“For the railways, a 10-point agenda was discussed with regard to targets for 2014-15.

"Some targets may be changed for new lines, freight loading capacity and projects in the northeast.

"Other issues discussed were land acquisition for the high speed rail network, electrification and increased speed on existing networks,” said another official who did not wish to be named. There is also speculation that most of the United Progressive Alliance’s flagship projects will be given bigger targets and new timelines.

“This will take shape in subsequent meetings. For now, we are asked to identify roadblocks and discuss ways to tackle them,” said another official requesting anonymity.

POLICY PUSH

• PMO meets secretaries from the Planning Commission, petroleum & natural gas, coal, power, new & renewable energy, road, transport & highways, railways and shipping.
• Identifies roadblocks, seeks updates on achievements and inter-ministerial issues

POWER SECTOR

• Coal supply, rail linkages between coal pits and power projects, rural electrification, 100% metering. Gas availability, fuel linkages, transmission & distribution and energy efficiency need improvement
• Programme to make govt offices to be model energy-efficient buildings
• MNRE to get Rs 1,000 crore more in their budget

OIL & GAS

• Improving gas transmission pipeline network
• Making gas imports more feasible

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Fast-track award of new road projects
• Resolve issues around land acquisition, environment clearance, etc., for both roads and railways
• New lines, gauge conversion and electrification targets for the Railways
• Enhancing freight-carrying capacity of the Indian Railways
• Increasing speed of trains on nine identified corridors - i) Delhi-Agra (ii) Delhi-Chandigarh (iii) Delhi-Kanpur (iv) Nagpur-Bilaspur (v) Mysore-Bengaluru-Chennai (vi) Mumbai-Goa (vii) Mumbai-Ahmedabad (viii) Chennai-Hyderabad (ix) Nagpur-Secunderabad
• Key border railway projects in the northeast MNRE: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi