The government has recommended 208 infrastructure projects valued at Rs15.39 lakh crore under the PM GatiShakti initiative, aimed at enhancing coordination across various ministries, including roads and railways. This initiative seeks to streamline logistics costs through integrated planning, utilizing significant geospatial data and fostering collaboration between ministries.

Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), reported on Saturday that these projects have been evaluated by the Network Planning Group (NPG), which was established as part of the PM GatiShakti initiative launched on October 13, 2021. Bhatia said, "So far, 208 projects have been assessed under the initiative worth Rs15.39 lakh crore," emphasizing the time and cost savings achieved through this system.

Among the recommended projects, 101 are related to roads, 73 to railways, 12 to urban development, and four to the oil and gas ministry. The NPG convenes every two weeks to evaluate infrastructure projects, ensuring a cohesive approach to development and multi-modality in the surrounding areas.

Launched to create an integrated infrastructure framework, the initiative aims to lower logistics costs. All logistics and connectivity projects requiring investments over ₹500 crore are processed through the NPG for approval. This approval is mandatory before any project can be cleared by the Public Investment Board (PIB) or the Department of Expenditure under the finance ministry.

The National Master Plan (NMP) houses over 1,600 layers of geospatial data, encompassing all physical and social infrastructure within an area, including land records. This comprehensive data resource is designed to facilitate faster planning and optimize investment impacts.

The NPG includes representatives from various ministries involved in connectivity infrastructure, ensuring unified planning and proposal integration. Departments must seek NPG approval before creating a Detailed Project Report (DPR) at the planning stage. Following NPG clearance, projects proceed through the usual finance ministry and Cabinet approval processes.

The portal used for the NMP features extensive data on land, ports, forests, and highways, and its utilization among various ministries and state departments is on the rise, aiding in effective project planning.

Additionally, the initiative has identified 156 critical infrastructure gaps related to ports and the transportation of bulk commodities such as coal, cement, fertilizers, and food grains for targeted interventions.

The department is collaborating with states to integrate updated land record data. Bhatia also mentioned that both Nepal and Sri Lanka have expressed strong interest in the PM GatiShakti initiative, stating, "We can roll it for them also. With Sri Lanka, we are working out the details." The department plans to implement the initiative at the district level within the next one to two months.

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