To initiate infrastructure development to boost the economy after COVID-19 pandemic, Union Budget 2021-22 has provided a capital outlay of ₹ 5.54 lakh crore, an increase of 34.5% over Budget Estimate of FY 2020-21. This was stated by Union Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

The Minister stated that the Government has also made provision of more than ₹ 2 lakh crore for States & Autonomous Bodies towards their Capital Expenditure. National Monetization Pipeline was also prepared to unlock the value of investments in public sector assets by tapping private capital and efficiencies for delivering infrastructure services. These proceeds are envisaged to augment existing/ create Greenfield infrastructure. Additionally, Central Ministries/Departments have been suggested to expedite infrastructure investment by front-loading capital expenditure.

Giving more details, the Minister said that the CCEA in its meetings held on 21.10.2021 approved the proposal for development of ‘PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP)' for providing multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various Economic Zones. It aims to depict various economic zones and the infrastructure linkages to holistically integrate all the multimodal connectivity projects, remove missing gaps for seamless movement of people, goods & services, minimize disruptions, improve logistics efficiency. The sectors intended to be included in PM GatiShakti NMP are Transport & Logistics - Roads, Rail, DFC, Airports, Inland Waterways, Ports, Logistics infrastructure, Bulk material transportation, Urban Public Transport; Energy – Electricity Transmission with specific reference to evacuation of renewable energy projects, National Gas Grid; Communication – OFC network, Telecommunication Towers; Commercial infrastructure - Common infrastructure for industrial parks with industrial activities like, Food parks/Textile parks, SEZs, Electronics Manufacturing Clusters, Fishing Clusters/Harbours, Defence Corridors/Industrial Corridors, Pharma & Medical Device Clusters.

In response to the source of funding for the aforesaid project, the Minister stated that there is no financial implication for multimodal connectivity infrastructure to the economic zones under the PM GatiShakti NMP as the concerned line Ministries/Departments will seek funding of their respective infrastructure projects serving the economic zones as per procedures laid under their respective schemes/programmes.

Giving more details, the Minister stated that the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) was launched with projected infrastructure investment of around ₹ 111 lakh crore during FY 2020-2025 to provide world-class infrastructure across the country, and improve the quality of life for all citizens. NIP was launched with 6,835 projects, which has expanded to over 9,000 projects covering 34 sub- sectors. NIP is a first-of-its-kind, whole-of-government exercise and covers all infrastructure sub- sectors, including MSMEs working in infrastructure sector, as mentioned in Harmonized Master List of Infrastructure Sub-sectors notified by Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

Infrastructure investment priority: increased capital outlay, asset monetization and an integrated master plan to boost multimodal connectivity. Union Budget 2021-22 increases capital outlay and directs front loading of capital expenditure, complements this with the National Monetization Pipeline to mobilise private capital for augmenting Greenfield infrastructure, and endorses the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan to integrate multimodal connectivity for economic zones. Funding for NMP projects will be sought by respective line Ministries/Departments under their existing schemes, with no separate central financial implication, alongside continued implementation and expansion of the National Infrastructure Pipeline covering a broad set of infrastructure sub sectors.