New Delhi, NFAPost: Hard bent on his vision to make India the manufacturing hub of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Rs 100 lakh crore national infrastructure plan Gati Shakti.
The holistic and integrated project Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Bharat Master Plan brings integrated infrastructure growth and is expected to fuel growth in jobs, massive adoption of green fuel, and achieve global competitiveness for Indian manufacturing.
Speaking at the ramparts of the Red Fort during Independence Day, Narendra Modi said along with modern infrastructure, there is a great need for adopting a holistic and integrated approach in infrastructure construction.
“In the near future, we are going to launch the National Master Plan of Prime Minister ‘Gati Shakti’ which will be a huge scheme and fulfil the dreams of crores of countrymen. This scheme of more than 100 lakh crores rupees will result in new employment opportunities for lakhs of youth,” said Narendra Modi.
According to Arvian Research the government’s national master plan of Gati Shakti is part of the effort to speed up economic recovery through infrastructure (infra) building. “Gati, the Hindi word for speed, could bring in economic power (Shakti) since the ambitious Rs 113-trillion plan of the government could generate demand for a host of other sectors, including cement, metal, and power, and more importantly, generate employment,” states Arvian Research.
The details of the project and how the government plans to mop up funding for the plan are not known immediately. The current fiscal position of both the Central and various state governments is not conducive enough to go with such a massive investment plan. It is interesting to note that the Prime Minister had made similar big-ticket investment plan National Infrastructure Pipeline during his Independence Day speech in 2019.
The Gati Sakthi is expected to generate demand for other sectors, including cement, metal and power. This investment is also crucial for creating hospital, school, and other social infra that form the very fabric of the national infrastructure pipeline (NIP).
Narendra Modi aso touched up certain political issues and stated India is also solving those subject areas, which were hanging fires for decades and centuries.
“Be it a historic decision to abrogate Article 370, the introduction of GST, a system that frees the country from the web of taxes, a decision regarding ‘One Rank-One Pension’ for our military friends, a peaceful solution to the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, we have seen it come true in a few years,” he said.
Prime Minister also hailed startup unicorns for wealth creation. He also pointed out that the government would develop an ecomerce platform for products manufactured by women self-help groups in villages.
“More than eight crore sisters in the villages are associated with Self-Help Groups and they design top-end products. Now the government will also prepare an ecommerce platform to ensure a huge market in the country and abroad for their products. When the country is moving forward with the mantra of being vocal for local, this digital platform will connect the products of women self-help groups with people in far-flung areas of the country as well as abroad and it will have far-reaching consequences,” he said.
As part of making the country energy independent by 2047 replacing petroleum with other forms of energy, Prime Minister announced National Hydrogen Mission. It is expected to reduce India’s energy spending of $12 trillion every year.
“Green Hydrogen is the future of the world. Today, I announce the setting up of the National Hydrogen Mission.
We have to make India a Global Hub for Green Hydrogen Production and Export in the ‘Amrit Kaal’. This will not only help India to make a new progress in the field of energy self-reliance but will also become a new inspiration for Clean Energy Transition all over the world. New opportunities from Green Growth to Green Job are opening up today for our start-ups & youth,” said Narendra Modi.
