Exploring the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana: A Game-Changer for India’s Infrastructure Development in 2023
Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana 2023 is an initiative by the government of India to transform the infrastructure landscape in India. It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th August 2021 on the occasion of Indian Independence Day.
If successful this plan can be a game-changer for India and attract investments worth billions of dollars. Under this scheme, India targets rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, and increasing trade volumes.
Another aim of Gati Shakti Yojana is to highlight the power of connectivity by integrating roads, railways, ports, airports, etc. Go through this post to understand the various aspects of Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana 2023.
Highlights of Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana 2023
| Name of the scheme | Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana 2023 |
| Another Name | National Master Plan For Multi-Model Connectivity Plan |
| Announced on | 15th August 2021 |
| Project Worth | 1.2 Trillion US Dollars |
| Approved by | Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs |
| Approved on | 21st October 2021 |
6 Pillars of Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana – Aim and Objective
As per the Government of India, PM Gati Shakti Yojana is based on the following points or pillars.
- Comprehensiveness – A centralised portal will be created for all existing and planned initiatives from various Ministries and Departments. This will enable each department to have visibility into the activities of other departments. It will provide critical data for project planning and execution.
- Prioritisation – Through cross-sectoral interactions, different departments will be able to prioritise their projects effectively.
- Optimization – This scheme will play a crucial role in project planning for different ministries. By identifying critical gaps, it will assist in optimising project selection.
- Synchronisation – PM Gati Shakti aims to address the lack of coordination and delays in project implementation by synchronising activities of individual Ministries and Departments.
- Analytical – The plan also provides a centralised platform with GIS-based spatial planning and analytical tools. This will offer better visibility to the executing agency.
- Dynamic – Satellite imagery will provide periodic on-ground updates and also facilitate identification of loopholes.
Developmental Work to be done under the scheme
A few of the key developmental projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana are as follows.
- The ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline’ worth Rs. 110 lakh crore launched in the year 2019 will be integrated under the Gati Shakti Scheme.
- The logistics cost in the country will be reduced by increasing cargo handling capacity and reducing turnaround time at ports. This will promote trade in the country.
- 11 industrial corridors and two new defence corridors (one in Tamil Nadu and the other in Uttar Pradesh) will be set up.
- 4G connectivity will be expanded in all the villages of India.
- 17,000 km of capacity will be added to the existing gas pipeline network of the country.
- By 2024-25, the national highway network will be expanded to 2 lakh kilometres.
- More than 200 new airports, heliports, and water aerodromes will be formed.
- The Indian Railway will develop 400 new Vande Bharat Express in 3 years.
- Indian Railways will also renovate 200 railway terminals within India with modern facilities
Gati Shakti Digital Platform
A digital Gati Shakti Platform will be created through which various Ministries and Departments can coordinate in real time. This will help in the proper planning and execution of plans.
Expected Results – Long-Term Goals
As mentioned earlier, this scheme can be a game-changer. Here are some of the outcomes of this scheme that the government is hoping for.
- All the existing infrastructure schemes and planned schemes will be mapped.
- It will bring 16 ministries of the government together for rapid development reducing red-tapism.
- A holistic and integrated transport connectivity will attract investment and boost “Make in India”.
- Make India the trading capital of the world.
Challenges to the Scheme
Gati Shakti Yojna sounds wonderful. However, things are not that easy. There are many challenges to this scheme. A few of them are discussed below.
- Delay due to legal issues – The rate of implementation of plans is very slow in India as compared to global standards. One of the reasons for such delays is complex land acquisition laws and litigation issues.
- Delay in clearances – More often than not delay in land use and environment clearance keep holding the projects.
- Requirement of large-scale funding – The implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects requires significant financial resources. Securing adequate funding for the ambitious goals of the scheme is crucial.
- Public-Private Collaboration – It is very difficult to complete such large-scale projects without effective participation from the private sector and other stakeholders. Roping in private investors who are genuinely interested in the development of the country is a challenge for the government.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will enhance connectivity in India through various means of transport like roads, railways, ports, and airports. This will promote overall economic growth in the country.
It covers multiple sectors including roads, railways, ports, airports, inland waterways, pipelines, digital infrastructure, etc.
Through various sources such as government budgetary allocations, public-private partnerships, external funding agencies, etc.
On 15th August 2021
By 2040, India aims to become a 40 trillion dollar economy.
