Union Cabinet approves Rs 100 lakh-crore 'PM Gati Shakti Master Plan'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Union Cabinet has approved the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aimed at bringing down the logistics cost in the country by integrating the policymaking in the infrastructure space and bringing all stakeholders in India's infrastructure development together.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on October 13 launched the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity to expedite and bring infrastructure development on a common path.

The Rs 100 lakh-crore Gati Shakti plan envisages a centralised portal comprising all existing and planned infrastructure initiatives of as many as 16 central ministries and departments for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infra connectivity projects.

The plan was first announced at the Red Fort on August 15 on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day. The plan seeks to end bureaucratic entanglements and break inter-ministerial silos with respect to infrastructure projects.

“The PM Gati Shakti NMP is intended to break Departmental Silos and bring in more holistic and integrated planning and execution of projects with a view to addressing the issues of multi-modal connectivity and last-mile connectivity," the Cabinet said in a statement.

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 connectivity and last mile connectivity

Currently, under the Gati Shakti master plan, 16 crucial ministries will be a part of the initiative. The ministries to be brought under the ambit of the platform include railways, roads and highways, petroleum & gas, telecom, power, shipping, and aviation, among others.

It targets to cut logistic costs, increase cargo handling capacity and reduce the turnaround time.

Big plans

As part of the plan, an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) headed by the Cabinet Secretary and secretaries of 18 ministries as members, among others, will be set up. The Head of the Logistics Division of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will serve as the Member Convenor of the group.

"The EGOS has been mandated to review and monitor the implementation of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) to ensure logistics efficiency. It is empowered to prescribe framework and norms for undertaking any subsequent amendments to the NMP," the Cabinet said.

It will also set out the procedure and definitive framework for synchronization of various activities, and ensure that various initiatives of infrastructure development are part of the common integrated digital platform. Crucially, the group will also look at the interventions required to meet the demand side, in efficiently transporting bulk goods on the requirement of various Ministries like Steel, Coal, Fertilizer, etc.

Streamlined policymaking soon

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has also approved the formation, composition and terms of reference for Network Planning Group (NPG) consisting of heads of Network Planning wing of respective infrastructure ministries and it will assist the EGOS.

The NPG will be supported by a technical support unit (TSU) located in the Logistics Division. The government believes this will work towards overall integration of networks, enhancing optimization to avoid duplication of works for holistic development of any region as well as reducing logistics costs through micro-plan detailing.

The TSU will have domain experts from various infrastructure sectors, such as aviation, maritime, public transport, rail, roads and highways, ports, power, pipeline, GIS, ICT, finance/market PPP, logistics, data analytics, among others.