Infrastructure has been the backbone through which countries transform themselves., to bring the United States out of the great depression, President Roosevelt ushered in the development of the Hoover dam to help the country get out of depression and get right back on the tracks of development. The dam project created so many jobs was highly beneficial to society because many men had lost their careers to the great depression. Also, the promise of employment attracted people out to the western area where the Hoover Dam is located, promoting that region’s economic and social growth. The Gati Shakti project envisioned by our Honourable prime minister follows the same line of thinking and can be expected to bring the same outcomes.
On October 13, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity to bring India’s infrastructure development on a familiar path. This event can be described as a historical event in the Indian infrastructure landscape. The Prime Minister’s Office said the GatiShakti project would break departmental silos and institutionalize holistic planning for the stakeholders across significant infrastructure projects.
The plan was launched with the aim in mind to develop infrastructure and reduce logistic costs through multi-modal connectivity. The scheme aims to connect all the concerned departments on one platform to speed up the process of project approvals. The master plan seeks to cut logistic costs, reduce turnaround times and increase cargo handling capacity. Infrastructure schemes of several ministries and state governments will be executed and designed with a shared vision.
As per Prime Minister, taxpayers’ money was insulted through a passive approach towards development work in the past. Departments were working in silos. Moreover, earlier, there was no coordination on projects. Thus, this plan was launched under which development will take place holistically incorporating quality infrastructure. Gatishakti plan joins different departments to develop projects, including from aviation to agriculture and road to railways.
The PM Gati Shakti Plan also aims to reduce logistic cost and turnaround time in the light that earlier high logistics cost at 13 percent of GDP in India was impacting its competitiveness in exports. The plan will also give a boost to India as an “investment destination.”
Under the plan, the private players will boost investment in National infrastructure because of easy clearances and monetary help. This scheme will also provide last-mile connectivity to the economic zones in a limited timeframe.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh would prepare with full force for this great campaign of development. He decided to immediately link Madhya Pradesh with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the state-level ‘Conference on Multi Infrastructure Connectivity’ at Minto Hall, Bhopal.
Gati Shakti is a digital platform that will bring together 16 ministries, including rail and road, for integrated planning and coordinated infrastructure connectivity projects. Gati Shakti will have 200 types of databases. The GIS system will map the physical facilities, district administration offices, rail, road and gas lines, health and police, and facilities like water bodies, reserve parks, and forests. Through this, various central ministries and state governments will benefit from better logistics schemes and connectivity.
Under this Rs 100 lakh crore Gati Shakti all-inclusive strategy, the public authority plans to develop 11 industrial and two new defense corridors in Tamil Nadu and UP. Also, all towns in India will have 4G connectivity, the extension of the public roadways organization to 2 lakh kilometers, etc. Additionally, the formation of 220 new air terminals, helicopters, and water aerodromes, 17000 km of new gas pipeline network, is a portion of the government’s objectives.
Well done Modi ji, India poised for higher flights.