The discussion for allowing the private sector access to parts of the Prime Minister GatiShakti national master plan (PMGS NMP), the digital platform for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects, has been on for a while but a decision may take some more time due to cyber security issues, officials have said.
“There has been a discussion on the matter for some time. But by when it will be open to the private sector, that time line is difficult to tell. We are moving towards that. But that will take some time. We are examining the option along with the cyber security issue, because so much (sensitive) information is there,” Additional Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Rajeev Singh Thakur said in an interaction with the media on Wednesday.
A total of 228 infrastructure projects across ministries, including roads and railways, civil aviation and petroleum & natural gas, worth ₹15.89 lakh crore have been recommended for approval under the PM GatiShakti initiative so far, Thakur said. These projects have been recommended by the Network Planning Group (NPG) constituted under the PM GatiShakti initiative.
The PMGS initiative was launched to develop an integrated infrastructure to reduce logistics costs. All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects, entailing investments of over ₹500 crore are routed through the NPG.
“Over the past three years, PMGS has integrated 1685 data layers from States/UTs (959) and 44 Central Ministries/Departments (726). Through its robust inter-ministerial institutional framework, PM GatiShakti is revolutionising India’s infrastructure planning,” per an official statement
Over 1,600 layers of data, including those related to land, ports, forests, and highways, are available on the portal.