Public-Private Partnership to be key driver of PM Gati Shakti scheme: MoS Finance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Pune metro will ensure that people travel comfortably. (Image credit: Twitter/@Rushikeshmla)

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary on Monday said Public-Private Partnership (PPP) would be the key driver of the Rs 100 lakh crore ambitious PM Gati Shakti initiative. This national master plan for multi-modal connectivity aims to develop infrastructure to reduce logistic costs and boost the economy.

The PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan was announced last year with an aim to break departmental silos and bring in more holistic and integrated planning and execution of projects with a view to address the issues of multi-modal and last-mile connectivities. Observing that PPP has given a push to growth, Chaudhary said various infrastructure projects have been completed through public-private partnership.

PM Gati Shakti is focussed on road, railway, civil aviation among others, he said, adding, this ambitious project would be achieved through public-private partnership. On the importance of public procurement, he said, it plays an active role as this helps in running various physical infrastructures like schools and hospitals.

Public procurement has a share of about 30 per cent of the Indian economy as a result improving efficiency is of immense importance, he said at 7th Global Procurement Summit organised by AIMA. The government has taken several steps including the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to improve efficiency, he said.

He also said that the government is also promoting Make in India by giving preference to domestic players so that there is job creation in the country. Stressing that the global procurement has been hit due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, he said, the government has taken steps to deal with it.