During Financial Year (FY) 2014-15 and 2015-16, projects involving investment of ₹ 25,878 crore were awarded by Major Ports. National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) responsible for construction of major roads and highways in India invested ₹ 41,087 crore and ₹ 63,803 crore in FY 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Ministry of Railways have spent a total of ₹ 58,718 crore and ₹ 93,795 crore in FY 2014-15 and FY 2015-16, respectively on development of railway infrastructure. As per the information provided by Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of ₹ 1.17 lakh crore was received in infrastructure sector including roads, railways, ports etc in last two years.

Government has taken various steps to attract investment in infrastructure sector which includes launching of innovative financial vehicles such as Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)/Infrastructure Investment Trust (InVITs), National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF), laying down a framework for municipal bonds, issuance of Tax Free Bonds, allowing complete pass through of income tax to securitization trusts including trusts of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs), bringing in 5/25 Scheme to extend long tenor loans to infrastructure projects, take-out finance, flexible structuring and refinancing of project loans, higher credit exposure limits for single and group borrowers, and single NBFC/NBFC-Asset Financing Company and Infrastructure Financing Company, amendment in investment norms of insurance companies, Employees’ Provident Funds, etc.

This information was given by Minister of State for Finance Shri. Arjun Ram Meghwal today in written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.

Infrastructure investment measures expand financing instruments and regulatory relaxations to attract long term capital into projects. To deepen long term financing, policy tools and market vehicles promoted include Infrastructure Debt Funds, REITs/InVITs, the National Infrastructure Investment Fund, framed municipal bond issuance, tax favoured bond mechanisms, tax pass through for securitisation trusts, extended long tenors and take out finance, flexible refinancing, higher credit exposure limits, and amended investment norms for institutional investors to broaden eligible capital sources.