Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office has sought details from States and Union Territories (UTs) on mega projects which can be completed in the next two years.
Highly placed sources told BusinessLine that a letter has been dashed off to States and UTs ate last month seeking list of their pending big projects which can be completed by 2024.
With the economy showing signs of recovery, the Centre is giving a renewed push to mega projects pending in States and UTs as well as in the central ministries.
Key projects
Uttar Pradesh, for instance, is chasing major infrastructure projects including the international airport at Jewar in Greater Noida, more network of expressways to increase connectivity of Lucknow and Delhi with important districts including with Bundelkhand and Allahabad, state government sources said. The construction of ₹20,000-crore worth defence corridor has been put on a priority, added state government sources, to augment indigenisation of defence sector — one of the top priorities of the Modi government which is confronting a hostile China and global insecurity arising out of Russia-Ukraine war.
A senior official of Chattisgarh government stated disinvestment of Nagarnar steel plant which is based in Jagdalpur region that is pending for decades now. "Though our Chief Minister has shown interest in purchasing the plant which is a joint venture of NMDC and State Mineral Development Corporation, we have not heard anything from the Centre," the officer remarked.
Ahead of polls
The government, disclosed a UT cadre officer, may be pushing the mega projects for completion so that they have a development report card to show to people at the time of 2024 general elections.
Modi otherwise also regularly monitors mega infra projects through Pragati — a platform conceived a year after he occupied Raisina Hill in 2014 — to cut down on delays and sort out other problems that plague infrastructure development in the country.
Till late last year, the PMO had reviewed 303 projects involving a total cost of ₹14.64-lakh crore.