The Hindu Business Line : Infrastructure meet to clear doubts: Montek

The proposed mega infrastructure conference scheduled for October 7 would play an important role in clarifying various issues to the industry and showcasing the opportunities of investments in key areas such as roads, ports, seaports, airports and special economic zones (SEZs), the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, told newspersons here on Wednesday.

The conference would be on `Building Infrastructure; Issues and Opportunities'.

He said that investment in infrastructure needs to be stepped up from 5 per cent to 8 per cent of GDP, to leapfrog to a 10 per cent growth rate during the Eleventh Plan. This would entail an additional investment of $110 billion and a total investment of $330 billion, he added.

Stating that public-private partnerships (PPP) would play an important role in mobilising the required resources, Dr Ahluwalia said that the capital subsidy required in infrastructure projects is 7 per cent. "Thus, by putting in Rs 7, the Government can catalyse private investment of Rs 100," he pointed out.

The conference would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and would be addressed by the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, the Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad, the Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel and the Minister for Shipping and Road Transport, Mr T.R. Baalu.

Secretaries in these Ministries will also make presentations at the conference, which would be attended by corporate CEOs, he said.

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