THE 2047 INFRA ROADMAP

In Modi 3.0, infrastructure ministries go on an overdrive to fulfill the Pancha Prana dream of making India a developed nation by 2047.

- ASHUTOSH KUMAR

ON JUNE 29, in his first meeting with top secretaries after taking charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the bureaucracy to abide by the philosophy of “Pancha Prana” or five pledges to make India developed by 2047. These pledges — making India developed, erasing traces of servitude, instilling pride over legacy, strength of unity, duties of citizens — were adopted by the prime minister on Independence Day in 2022.

The first, building infrastructure fit for a developed economy, is the most crucial. The new BJP-led NDA government declared infrastructure as its top priority in its second Cabinet meeting itself by approving the ₹76,200 crore Vadhavan port project in Maharashtra’s Dahanu with a capacity of 23 million twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs. It was conceived 60 years ago. “Infrastructure has been the key focus of the government over last 10 years. The port will be among the top 10 in the world. Its capacity will be more than the combined capacity of all the ports in the country at present,” railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, while announcing the decision. The project will be executed by a joint venture between JNPT (76% share) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (26%) in two phases. The first phase of 15 million TEUs will be over by 2029. Other ministries have also lined up mid to long-term plans in line with the NDA government’s Vision 2047.

Mega Plans Of Key Ministries

Railway and road transport ministries are working on projects worth ₹33 lakh crore to be implemented over next seven-eight years. These will be cornerstones of the country’s growing economy. The investment will increase as the projects get going.