Budget 2022 : Infrastructure Sector – UPSC GS3

The Budget acknowledged the importance of ramping up infrastructure in India for economic growth and sustainable development.

The Budget identified the PM Gati Shakti programme — which envisages coordinated planning across Ministries and States for the development of infrastructure — as one of the four key pillars of the Budget.

The focus will be on planning, financing including through innovative ways, use of technology, and speedier implementation. The touchstone of the Master Plan [under PM Gati Shakti] will be world-class modern infrastructure and logistics synergy among different modes of movement — both of people and goods — and location of projects. This will help raise productivity and accelerate economic growth and development.

The allocation for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has seen a 68% increase in the Union Budget 2023.

PM Gati Shakti Master Plan for Expressways will be formulated in 2022-23 to facilitate faster movement of people and goods.

The National Highways network will be expanded by 25,000 km in 2022-23 and Rs 20,000 crore will be mobilized through innovative ways of financing to complement the public resources.

Of the 35 multi-modal logistics parks the government plans across the country, four will be awarded in the next fiscal.

The Union Budget has proposed a record budgetary allocation of ₹1.37 lakh crore for the Indian Railways, with a capital expenditure outlay of over ₹2.45 lakh crore for the upcoming financial year.

‘One Station-One Product’ concept will be popularized at Railway stations to help local businesses & supply chains.

Around 2,000 km of railway network will be brought under Kavach, the indigenous world-class technology for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23.

400 new-generation Vande Bharat Trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience will be developed and manufactured.

100 PM GatiShakti Cargo Terminals for multimodal logistics facilities will be set up during the next three years.

The Budget speech acknowledged a “business as usual” approach towards urban planning would not work and a paradigm shift was needed since half the population of the country would be living in urban areas by 2047, making orderly urban development critically important.

A high-level panel to give recommendations on urban planning and development would be set up. The panel would comprise urban planners, urban economists and institutions who will make recommendations on policies, capacity-building, planning, implementation and governance.

For developing India specific knowledge in urban planning and design, and to deliver certified training in these areas, up to five existing academic institutions in different regions will be designated as centres of excellence.

The Budget also proposed the modernisation of building bye-laws, town planning schemes and transit-oriented development.

Required spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022 to facilitate the rollout of 5G mobile services within 2022- 23 by private telecom providers.  This will go a long way in enabling growth and generating employment opportunities.

A scheme for design-led manufacturing will be launched to build a strong ecosystem for 5G as part of the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.

The National Ropeways Development Program, Parvatmala would be taken up on PPP mode. Contracts for 8 ropeway projects of 60 km length would be awarded in 2022-23.