In an official statement today, it was disclosed that six infrastructure projects involving roads and railways, with a total worth of Rs 52,000 crore, have been recommended for approval under the PM Gati Shakti initiative. This brings the total number of projects assessed by the Network Planning Group (NPG) to 112, amounting to approximately Rs 11.53 lakh crore since the inception of PM Gati Shakti.
Six projects were assessed in the 56th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting
These six projects underwent assessment during the 56th Network Planning Group meeting held on September 27. The meeting, convened under the PM Gati Shakti framework, reviewed project proposals, including four from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and two from the Ministry of Railways, with a cumulative project cost of around Rs 52,000 crore, as announced by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The inter-ministerial NPG conducts bi-weekly meetings to evaluate infrastructure projects, ensuring a multi-modal approach, coordinated efforts, and comprehensive development in the project’s vicinity. The PM Gati Shakti initiative was introduced to establish an integrated infrastructure system aimed at reducing logistics costs. All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects with investments exceeding Rs 500 crore are routed through the NPG for assessment and approval.
Approval from the NPG is a prerequisite before projects can be cleared by the Public Investment Board (PIB) or the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance. The majority of projects recommended by the group typically pertain to roads, railways, and urban development.
The role of NPG
The Network Planning Group leverages various layers of geospatial data, consolidating physical and social infrastructure information, as well as land records in one central location. This approach expedites the planning and design phases, ultimately maximising the impact of investments.
The NPG includes representatives from various ministries and departments responsible for connectivity infrastructure, with their respective heads of network planning divisions working together for unified planning and proposal integration. All these departments seek NPG approval before creating a Detailed Project Report (DPR) at the planning stage. Once the NPG gives its clearance, the project follows the standard procedure for approval by the Ministry of Finance and the Cabinet.
The portal used by the NPG offers access to over 1,400 layers of data, encompassing information related to land, ports, forests, and highways. The utilisation of this portal by various ministries, including those in the social sector and states, has been steadily increasing, aiding in the efficient planning of projects.
