Centre's interface with states on Infrastructure tomorrow

New Delhi, July 20 (UNI) In an effort to give the much needed impetus to the time bound completion of infrastructure projects, the Central government has summoned tomorrow Chief Secretaries of various State governments for day-long deliberations which will focus on private partnership in public sector responsibility.

Fourth in the series in less than one year, the meeting will not only provide interface with the State administrative machinery, but would also set an example before the State's for accelerating the development process, notwithstandng fiscal constraints.

"The objective of the meeting is to synergise the central and state governments to evolve mechanisms that would enable time bound completion of world class infrastructure projects," a Planning Commission source said here.

The government has projected that investment in infrastructure sectors like railways, coal and civil aviation would have to almost double from the present level of 4.55 per cent to eight per cent in the terminal of the Eleventh Plan, which translates to about Rs 1,60,000 crore.

The government has been stating time and again that due to paucity of funds such huge resources for infrastructure projects cannot be met by the public sector alone, the private sector too would need to pitch in.

The meeting to be inaugurated by Finance Minister P Chidambaram will have participation from ceratin key ministers. These include Minister for Shipping, Road Development and Highways T R Balu, Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Besides, Secretaries of Infrastructure Ministeries such as Ports, Roads and Urban Development will make a presentation at the event.

The move is aimed at encouraging and empowering State administrations to replicate the Centres success in certain projects as well emulating policies drafted by the Centre.

Ever since the Planning Commission formulated its approach paper, it has been using every opportunity for pushing States for projects pertaining to social sector development.

The meeting gains importance in the backdrop of the recent review taken by the Plan Panel Deputy Chairman of the Bharat Nirman programme where it was noticed that the performance was not upto the mark.

Without the participation of the States it was difficult for the Central government alone to go ahead with infrastructure problems which fall in the domain of the State governments.

UNI