To support the funding of infrastructure over the next five years, that would require Rs 103 lakh crore, government has provided about Rs 22,000 crore as equity support to two government-owned infrastructure agencies.
In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced, “This would cater for equity support to infrastructure finance companies such as India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd and a subsidiary of National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. They would leverage the funds, as permissible, to create a financing pipeline of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. This would create a major source of long-term debt for infrastructure projects and fulfil a long awaited requirement.”
About 6,000 km of highways will be “monetised” before 2024, Sitharaman said, adding a major port will be corporatised and listed.
