ACCELERATING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Abhishek Kumar Singh looks at what it will take for the country to reach its set infrastructure development target ahead of the 100th Independence Anniversary, three decades from now.

- Abhishek Kumar Singh

The allocation of more than Rs.10 lakh crore, a 33 per cent increase from the last budget to Infrastructure development in the Union Budget 2023 is reason enough to believe that the central government thinks of infrastructure as a key driver for growth. It is sweating all its resources to build a globally competitive infrastructure. Announcements of initiatives like the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), a list of 1,950 projects worth Rs.102 lakh crore and PM Gati Shakti Master Plans Mission of around Rs.75,000 crore are noteworthy allocations. At the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Annual Flagship Infrastructure Conference cum Awards, the theme was aptly “Accelerating Infrastructure Development for Bharat@100.” The two-day conference was focused on providing a platform for policy makers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of infrastructure development in India. Various industry leaders conveyed the hurdles and suggestions to the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari who in turn assured the industry to address any pain points stalling progress. A detailed report was also submitted to the Minister by an estimated 300 stakeholders to draw his attention to priority issues.

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