Cabinet clears restructuring of NHAI to achieve global standards

New Delhi, July 20 (UNI) The Union Cabinet today decided to restructure the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to equip it to manage the enhanced mandate of maintaining the road network to global standards and to handle Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects effectively in the future.

Accordingly, NHAI will have six full-time members, one each for finance, administration, public private partnership, two members (Project) and one member (Technical).

The number of part-time members will also be increased to six from the present four. They would be from the non-government sector, one from IITs/IIMs and the other from financial institutions.

An additional 26 posts of Chief General Managers (CGMs) will be created. This includes 15 CGMs for project implementation and corridor management.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituted a search committee headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar to select a new Chairman for NHAI.

The tenure of the Chairman has been fixed for at least three years which can be extended up to five years. The Age in case of Chairman is to be relaxed up to 62 years if required for a three year tenure.

It was decided to empower NHAI to engage outside experts, if required, with relaxation of age in the case of posts like financial analyst, transport economist, contract management specialist and legal expert.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told mediapersons that the decision to restruct the NHAI will meet the nation's need for the provision and maintenance of National Highways network to global standards.

"It will also meet user's expectations in the most time bound and cost effective manner with the strategic policy framework set by the government, and thus, promote the economic well being and quality of life of the people." He said the Cabinet also decided to amend the NHAI Act of 1988.

UNI