The Gati Shakti Initiative Speeds Up India’s Infrastructure Mission

Context: Gati Shakti Mission – Infrastructure development’s embrace of digital technology can reduce logistical costs and raise economy-wide productivity

About Gati Shakti National Master Plan

• Single platform: The mission is expected to deploy a geo-spatial digital platform that will provide real-time information on infrastructure projects across 16 ministries.
• Use of digital technologies: It develops modern infrastructure process system with assembled relevant data and satellite information, like digital technologies to map infrastructure facilities, greater visibility in core infrastructure in an integrated manner.

Significance of Gati Shakti Mission in Economy

• Streamlining governance: With a single portal including multi-layer levels of data, decision-making and various implementation processes can be streamlined and made both efficient and timely.
• Revamping public-private partnerships: It have been redesigned and include new models such as toll-operate-transfer and a hybrid annuity model. Streamline implementation of existing such as
  • National Infrastructure Pipeline: Launched with 8,200 projects, entailing a cost of Rs 111 trillion and it meets Indian industry’s request for a shelf of ready projects for investment.
  • National Monetisation Pipeline: It brings the private sector into India’s infrastructure mission by leasing out assets for operations and maintenance as well as for new investments.
• Revamping country’s logistics, where inefficiencies result in an estimated cost burden of 13-14% of GDP, compared to 6-8% in more competitive economies.
• Ensure better utilization of scarce funds and keep investments in new projects going. Greater visibility in core areas such as railways, shipping and roads and highways should serve to feed the development of facilities in an integrated manner.
• Multiplier effect: Faster infrastructure construction can be a large employment multiplier, creating new job opportunities in rural areas. Any improvements in logistics performance directly correlates in export competitiveness.
• Provide multiple business opportunities in urban and rural areas through new connectivity and linkages. It also enables regions that are currently excluded to join the economic mainstream.
• Minimize multi-modal transportation gaps: By connecting different transport routes seamlessly. It will shift Indian logistics sector to greater containerization for the movement of goods, using the lowest-cost options such as waterways.
• Streamlining implementation – Minimizing time and cost overruns: As the mission provides for planning, implementation, monitoring and administration of transport infrastructure projects.
• Transparency in investment decision making: The availability of detailed data on the facilities at a particular location would save a lot of time and effort in taking investment decisions.