CCEA approves PM GatiShakti National Master Plan; monitoring through three-tier system

Oct 21, 2021

New Delhi (India], October 21 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved PM GatiShakti National Master Plan including an institutional framework for rolling out, implementation, monitoring and support mechanism for providing multi-modal connectivity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched PM GatiShakti NMP for multi-modal connectivity on October 13.
Implementation framework includes Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGOS), Network Planning Group (NPG) and Technical Support Unit (TSU) with required technical competencies.
An official release said that EGOS will be headed by Cabinet Secretary and will consist of secretaries of 18 ministries as members and Head of Logistics Division as Member Convenor.
The EGOS has been mandated to review and monitor the implementation of the PM GatiShakti NMP to ensure logistics efficiency.
It is empowered to prescribe framework and norms for undertaking any subsequent amendments to the NMP.
EGOS shall also set out the procedure and definitive framework for synchronization of various activities and ensure that various initiatives of infrastructure development are part of the common integrated digital platform.
EGOS will also look at the interventions required to meet the demand side, to efficiently transport bulk goods on the requirement of various ministries like steel, coal and fertilizer.
CCEA has also approved formation, composition and terms of reference for Network Planning Group (NPG) consisting of heads of network planning wing of respective infrastructure ministries and it will assist the EGOS.
Further, in view of the complexities involved in the overall integration of networks, enhancing optimization to avoid duplication of works for holistic development of any region as well as reducing logistics costs through micro-plan detailing, the Technical Support Unit (TSU) has been approved for providing the required competencies.
The structure of TSU has also been approved and it shall have domain experts from various infrastructure sectors.
The release said that PM GatiShakti NMP is intended to break departmental silos and bring in more holistic and integrated planning and execution of projects with a view to addressing the issues of multi-modal connectivity and last-mile connectivity.
"This will help in bringing down the logistics cost. This will translate into enormous economic gains to consumers, farmers, youth as well as those engaged in businesses. With this approval, the rollout of PM GatiShakti will get further momentum which will result in a holistic and integrated planning framework for infrastructure development in the country," the release said.
It said PM GatiShakti shall bring various stakeholders together and help integrate different modes of transportation.