PRAGATI helps expedite infra projects, Navi Mumbai airport an example: Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan

Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan

Cabinet secretary TV Somnathan emphasised the importance of PRAGATI mechanism for speeding up the infra projects that have helped the economy gain momentum.

While briefing the media today, he emphasised how the platform has become instrumental in ensuring timely execution of infrastructure projects, through better coordination with states.

On December 31, the 50th PRAGATI meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which focused on coordination with states to implement various schemes and projects.

PRAGATI is a high-level, technology-driven platform used by the Prime Minister to directly monitor and fast-track large-scale government projects and address public grievances. Launched in 2015, it acts as a bridge between the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Union Government Secretaries, and State Chief Secretaries to ensure that stalled projects get moving.

In his briefing, the Cabinet Secretary said that capital spending has seen a drastic increase in the last ten years and that implementation is of key importance. He said 382 projects have been reviewed so far through PRAGATI relating to roads, highways and railways. Navi Mumbai airport, which was approved in 2007, was expedited due to PRAGATI. Bogibeel rail cum road bridge over river Brahmaputra was approved in 1997 and was expedited due to PRAGATI.

Since 2014, 377 projects have been reviewed under PRAGATI, and across these projects, 2,958 out of 3,162 identified issues – that is, around 94 percent - have been resolved, significantly reducing delays, cost overruns and coordination failures.

The Cabinet Secretary said that around 61 government schemes like the PM Awas Yojana, PM Swanidhi shceme have been reviewed by PRAGATI.

The PM chairs these meeting directly with chief secretaries of states and secretaries of central ministries to address issues relating to specific projects.

Somanathan said that after PRAGATI meeting, a multi-tier follow-up mechanism ensures timely decision. “Without Pragati scheme, it would have difficult to spend the high govt capex budgeted in recent years,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

Notably, Oxford University in its report in December 2024 had said that Pragati is a “global benchmark and a single source of truth for real time project monitoring”, Somanathan highlighted.

At the same briefing, Satish Kumar, Chairman, Railway Board, said that there has been 370% decadal growth in capex in railways. “98% of the broad gauge network is now electrified,” Kumar noted, adding that PRAGATI has increased the capacity of capex utilisation.

On December 31, during the PRAGATI review meeting, PM Modi had shared his expectations from the government officials. Modi had coined a new term -- “Reform to simplify, Perform to deliver, Transform to impact,” at the meeting, said an official release.

He had said Reform must mean moving from process to solutions, simplifying procedures and making systems more friendly for Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business. “He said Perform must mean to focus equally on time, cost, and quality. He added that outcome-driven governance has strengthened through PRAGATI and must now go deeper,” said the release.

“He further said that Transform must be measured by what citizens actually feel about timely services, faster grievance resolution, and improved ease of living,” it added.