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NEW DELHI: Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has called for cooperation between central and state governments to boost infrastructure development, saying that it was if India was to become a $5 trillion economy.
Gadkari was speaking at a conference on PM-Gati Shakti for the south zone, and welcomed suggestions from states for making the programme a success.
Karnataka's chief minister B.S. Bommai, present at the event, urged the Centre to fasten clearances and relax rules to maximise investments for infrastructure development.
In his remarks, minister of state V.K. Singh said the aim of “PM-Gati Shakti" was to boost multi-modal connectivity in India.
Prime minister Narendra Modi had launched the PM-Gati Shakti - National Master Plan (NMP) on 13 October 2021.
On 21 October 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan including an institutional framework for rolling out, implementation, monitoring and support mechanism for providing multi-modal connectivity.
The PM-Gati Shakti NMP is aims for a holistic and integrated planning and execution of projects to address the issues of multi-modal connectivity and last-mile connectivity.
Logistics cost in India is still 14% of GDP against the global average 8% and the programme will help achieve this goal, said M Goutham Reddy, minister of industries, commerce and IT, Andhra Pradesh.
P.A. Mohammed Riyas, Public Works Department and Tourism Minister of Kerala, said a robust and resilient infrastructure is fundamental to the economic growth of a country and the PM-Gati Shakti will change its logistics landscape. He said Kerala offers conducive landscape for development of multi-modal connectivity.
Giridhar Aramane, secretary, ministry of road, transport and highways, stressed upon creating institutional framework at state level. He said the objective of the conference was sensitisation and capacity building.
