'Most Political Parties Against Necessary Infra Development': PM Modi Slams Oppn During GatiShakti Launch

PM GatiShakti will address issues through institutionalizing holistic planning for stakeholders for major infrastructure projects. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi today. Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnav were also present during the launch of the platform.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also spoke during the launch and said, "PM GatiShakti-National Master Plan will give a push & direction to various development plans & will also encourage investments. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the G20 summit will be held here in 2023 for the first time."

 

PM Modi addressed the event after the launch to register the importance of the GatiShakti platform.

Key Points of PM Modi's address

• PM Modi said that earlier the country used to see 'work in progress' boards everywhere and people started to believe that it will never be completed. It showed distrust of people. But the present government changed it. PM said, "We planned well & introduced 'gati' in development projects".
• PM Modi further said that this plan has laid a foundation for the next 25 years. This national master plan will give 'gatishakti' to development plans of the 21st century & will help in the timely completion of these plans.
• PM Modi said that the creation of quality infrastructure for Sustainable Development is a way to enhance the country's economy and create employment on a large scale.
• Taking a jibe at the opposition, PM Modi said that in our country, the subject of infrastructure has been far from the priority of most political parties. This is not even visible in their manifesto. Today's situation is such that some political parties have started criticizing the construction of necessary infrastructure for the country.
• PM Modi said that now with the 'whole of government approach', the collective power of the government is being channelized into the implementation of the schemes. This is the reason why many unfinished projects are being completed for decades now.
• Modi further said that the PM Gatishakti Master Plan not only brings together the government process and its various stakeholders, it also helps to integrate different modes of transportation. It is an extension of holistic governance.
• PM Modi further stated that the first interstate natural gas pipeline in India was commissioned in the year 1987. After which the govt took 27 years to build 15,000 km in the country which was done till 2013. Today work is underway for 16,000 kms natural gas pipeline across the country and is expected to be completed within 5-6 years.
• PM said that before 2014, only 3000 km of railway tracks were electrified. In the last 7 years, the NDA-led BJP has electrified more than 24 thousand kilometers of railway tracks.
• PM further stated that before 2014, only 60 panchayats could be connected with optical fiber but in the last 7 years, more than 1.5 lakh gram panchayats have been connected with optical fiber.
• Focusing on the farmers and fishermen of the country, PM Modi said that in order to increase their income, the infrastructure related to processing is also being expanded rapidly. In 2014, there were only 2 mega food parks in the country. Today, 19 Mega Food Parks are functioning in the country and the target is to take the number to over 40.

What is the aim of the PM Gati Shakti Platform?

Gati Shakti — a digital platform — will bring 16 ministries including rail and roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects, according to a statement released by PMO.

The 16 ministries and departments have put all these projects in GIS mode, which are to be completed by 2024-25, at the platform, the official said. The platform will provide high-resolution satellite images, infrastructure, utilities, administrative boundaries, land and logistics.

Gati Shakti platform also aims in increasing the productivity of industry, support local manufacturers, enhance the competitiveness of the industry and also help in developing new possibilities for the creation of future economic zones.

It has been prepared depicting economic zones and the infrastructure linkages required to support them that can ensure the seamless movement of goods, besides integrating the planning and designing of projects with a common and holistic vision, the PMO said.

PM GatiShakti will address the past issues through institutionalizing holistic planning for stakeholders for major infrastructure projects. 

Instead of planning and designing separately in silos, the projects will be designed and executed with a common vision. It will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various ministries and the state governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc. 

Economic zones like textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri zones will be covered to improve connectivity and make Indian businesses more competitive.