“The infrastructure sector requires a synergy of transparency, accountability, and technology-driven solutions for effective governance.” Discuss the need for governance reforms and evaluate the government initiatives to overcome the challenges in infrastructure development. 15M

Context:

Digital governance initiatives like PRAGATI are transforming how India approaches infrastructure development.

Answer:

Infrastructure forms the backbone of any economy, driving growth, employment, and social development. However, in India, this critical sector faces persistent challenges which undermine its potential. To address these issues, the government has implemented innovative governance initiatives that are pivotal in transforming the infrastructure sector into a robust enabler of India’s development ambitions.

Need for Governance Reforms in Infrastructure Sector:

• Project Delays: Prolonged delays due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, land acquisition issues, and inter-departmental coordination gaps.
  • Projects like the Bogibeel Bridge languished for over a decade due to poor coordination.
• Cost Overruns: Delays escalate project costs, burdening public finances.
  • Over 40% of public infrastructure projects in India experience significant cost overruns (Ministry of Statistics, 2023).
• Lack of Transparency: Corruption, opaque tendering processes, and lack of public accountability hinder effective governance.
• Fragmented Responsibilities: Multiplicity of agencies at the central, state, and local levels leads to overlapping jurisdictions and inefficiencies.
• Regulatory Bottlenecks: Delayed environmental clearances and compliance with outdated norms slow progress.
  • Before reforms like PARIVESH, environmental clearance approvals could take over 600 days.
• Inadequate Technology Adoption: Traditional methods of project monitoring and execution lack the precision and speed offered by technology-driven solutions.

Evaluation of Government Initiatives to Overcome Challenges in Infrastructure Development:

• PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation): A multi-modal platform to monitor and review large-scale infrastructure projects under direct oversight by the Prime Minister.
  • Enabled high-level coordination between central and state agencies, ensuring timely decisions.
    • Over 340 projects worth $205 billion expedited since its launch.
  • Regular review meetings highlight bottlenecks and set clear deadlines, improving accountability.
    • Completion of Bogibeel Bridge in Assam and the Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir, both delayed for decades.
  • High reliance on the Prime Minister’s direct involvement limits scalability.
  • Primarily focuses on central-level projects, with less district and local-level initiatives integration.
• PM Gati Shakti – National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity: A geospatial platform for integrated infrastructure planning and reducing inter-agency coordination gaps.
  • Integration of 16 ministries and departments enables seamless planning of multimodal logistics.
  • Optimised infrastructure placement reduces project costs and timelines.
  • Streamlined development of industrial corridors, logistics parks, and road-rail networks.
  • Shortages of geospatial experts and data analysts hinder platform utilization.
• PARIVESH (Pro-Active Responsive Facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single Window Hub): Streamlining environmental clearances for infrastructure projects.
  • Unified platform for multiple approvals (forest, wildlife, and environmental).
    • Clearance timelines reduced from 600 days to 70-75 days.
  • Real-time tracking of applications ensures accountability and public confidence.
  • Integration with PRAGATI enhanced oversight for projects requiring environmental approvals.
  • Critics argue that expedited clearances may compromise environmental standards.
• Use of Technology in Monitoring: Employing advanced tools like drones, video conferencing, and big data analytics for real-time monitoring of projects.
  • Automation reduces reliance on manual oversight, cutting administrative costs.
    • Drones provide real-time visuals of projects, ensuring compliance and identifying delays.
  • AI and big data analytics can be used for predictive maintenance, reducing operational downtime.
  • Significant investment required for technology acquisition and integration.
  • Sensitive project data is vulnerable to breaches.
• National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): A ₹111 lakh crore investment plan for infrastructure development across sectors by 2025.
  • Includes sectors like energy, transportation, water, and urban development.
  • Encourages private sector participation in financing and execution.
  • Aims to create millions of jobs across multiple sectors.
  • Land acquisition and regulatory approvals still cause delays.
  • Private sector hesitancy due to concerns over financial risks and policy stability.

By fostering transparency, accountability, and technology-driven solutions, India can overcome existing challenges and establish itself as a global leader in infrastructure development, enabling sustainable economic growth and inclusive development.

‘+1’ Value Addition:

• Studies by the Reserve Bank of India estimate that for every rupee spent on infrastructure, the country sees a 2.5 to 3.5-rupee gain in GDP.
• PRAGATI has also accelerated social development programmes, from rural electrification to providing tap water connections to millions of households.
• PRAGATI’s approach could be particularly valuable for initiatives like the African Union’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).