Asks for application of new coal technologies so that projects don't get delayed for want of fuel
With a focus to accentuate key projects to showcase as an achievement over next two years, ahead of the 2019 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed performance of the infrastructure sector. At a meeting that lasted some five hours, the Prime Minister discussed the progress in the construction of roads, railways, ports, airports and energy plants with the ministers and officials concerned. Members of the NITI Aayog also attended the meeting.
Modi expressed concern at the decline in coal imports in the last year. He asked for more vigorous efforts towards coal import substitution, and application of new coal technologies including gasification technology so that projects don't get delayed for want of fuel.
In the digital infrastructure sector, 2,187 mobile towers have been installed in districts affected by Left-wing extremists in 2016-17. The Prime Minister emphasized that the emerging digital connectivity network, which will connect thousands of gram panchayats within the next few months, should be backed up by appropriate governance steps, so that it can lead to better quality of life, and greater empowerment of people in the rural areas.
In the ports sector, under the Sagarmala project, 415 projects have been identified with investment of Rs 8 lakh crore, and projects worth Rs 1.37 lakh crore have been taken up for implementation. The Prime Minister stressed on better outcomes for turnaround time of ships and clearance for Exim cargo. The highest ever capacity addition of 100.4 MTPA in major ports has been recorded in 2016-17. All 193 lighthouses are now powered by solar energy. Digitization of land records has been completed in all major ports.
Progress of important projects in the roads and railways sectors, such as the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Char Dham Project, the Quazigund-Banihal Tunnel, the Chenab railway bridge, and the Jiribam-Imphal project was also reviewed. In the aviation sector, the Regional Connectivity Scheme will connect 43 destinations, including 31 unserved destinations. The passenger capacity in the aviation sector has reached 282 million passengers per annum.
In the railways sector, 953 km of new lines were laid in 2016-17, as against the target of 400 km. Track electrification of over 2,000 km, and gauge conversion of over 1,000 km was achieved in the same period. More than 1,500 unmanned level crossings have been eliminated in 2016-17. Among measures to enhance customer experience, Wi-Fi access was enabled in 115 railway stations, and 34,000 bio-toilets added. The Prime Minister called for speeding up of work related to redevelopment of Railway Stations, and greater creativity in the generation of non-fare revenue.
One of the key projects, that has become of crucial importance for the government, is the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) system.
In another meeting through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, the Prime Minister reviewed projects like Mumbai Metro, the Tirupati-Chennai Highway, long-pending road projects in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Manipur, and important power transmission lines in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.
Reviewing Mission Indradhanush for universal immunisation of children, the Prime Minister asked for targeted attention in strict time-frames for the 100 worst performing districts in this regard. He said youth organisations such as NCC and Nehru Yuva Kendra could be involved in the outreach effort to ensure that no child was left without the benefit of immunisation.
Reviewing the implementation of Swachhta Action Plans, the Prime Minister said that events such as Swachhta fortnights should be converted into movements towards permanent solutions. On the AMRUT Mission, the Prime Minister asked officials to quantify and document the gains achieved through the use of latest technology, such as LED bulbs, so that the benefits could be better appreciated by one and all. The Prime Minister urged all Secretaries of the Government of India, and all Chief Secretaries of States, to come up with concrete plans and objectives for transformative change, to be achieved by the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022. With regard to cleanliness, he urged for maximum efforts ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary by 2019.
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