New bid to involve Private sector in infrastructure development

New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) The stage is all set for the Government taking a big leap forward in involving the private sector as a major player in the building of infrastructure.

The clear signal is the official conference being organised tomorrow on 'Building Infrastructure; Challenges and Opportunities', to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Constrained by the massive expenditure, it has committed itself for developing the social sector as well as the commitments under NCMP, the UPA Government has taken a view that physical infrastructure cannot be modernised at the pace and desirable level without involving private sector.

The Conference is an innovative step in this direction, a senior official said here today.

The government has gone out of its way to reach to the corporate world in the conference. It is not business as usual. While the government leaders will answer the manifold questions that will be put up by the Corporates, it is not just another government-organsied conference, the source said.

For more than a fortnight, advertisements have been appearing in newspapers inviting industry to avail of the opportunity of getting involved in building infrastructure. In the open house, India Inc will seek clarifications from the Government in the presence of non other than the Prime Minister himself.

That is not all, first time, the corporate along with other participants will have an opportunity to quiz secretaries relating to roads, ports, highways, air ports and railways.

All this will happen in the presence of more than 1,200 participants and the Ministries relating to the infrastructure sector.

Officals say the response of the outside world has been extraordinary. The Main Hall of Vigyan Bhawan, which has seating capacity of over 1,200 delegates, is fully booked.

To accommodate even more people, an adjoining hall is being opened where the participants will be able to view the proceedings.

Having committed itself to a massive infrastructure development programme estimated to cost over Rs 2,50,000 crore, the Government is now all set to prove to the private sector that it means serious business.

Among other participants, the day-long conference will be attended by multilateral agencies, diplomats, CEOs of major companies and government functionaries. Three Chief Ministers Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Assam will also be attending the event.

All Union Ministers responsible for building infrastructure will be present at the conference along with the secretaries attached to their ministry not only to make speeches and promises, but also to answer queries.

They will tell the participants what the new Government has done in two years including the policy initiatives and achievements. This exercise will be primarily to convince them that Government wants them in mordernising India and that nothing would be allowed to come in the way of enhanced public-private partnership.

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