Government Fast Tracks Infra Projects Worth 22000 Crore

The government seems to be in ultra hurry to clear infra projects and isn’t leaving any stone unturned to clear infrastructure projects. Today, the finance ministry has cleared seven infra projects worth Rs 16057 crore. In its meeting of Public Private Partnership Approval Committee (PPPAC) headed by finance secretary Arvind Mayaram, the ministry approved six projects related to the ministry of transport and highways and one project of ministry of shipping for the development of bulk terminal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT). 

Of the highway projects, the biggest approval worth Rs 6571 crore has been granted to the Delhi - Meerut Expressway for around 150 kms that includes 6/8 laning of NH-24. Apart from this, other projects include widening of Bikaner-Phalodi road in Rajasthan, Amritsar-Bhatinda road in Punjab, Sultanpur-Varanasi section in UP and Zirakpur-Patiala section in Punjab. At the same time JNPT development will be done at a cost of Rs 2496 crore. 

 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has also given approval for the much-awaited 6-laning of Eastern Peripheral Expressway connecting Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, to be build at a cost of Rs 6284 crore. This 135 km road will be built through Sonepat, Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana and Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and will act as a new ring road for Delhi. This project is mooted to expedite infrastructure improvement in Haryana and UP. 

On the other hand CCEA has approved financial assistance package to HMT Machine Tools for working capital and employee pay requirements. The total package of Rs 136 crore has been approved for the company that will go towards the implementation of 1997 pay revision and waiver of interest on Government of India loan for Rs 38.58 crore.