When gati is shakti

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In a meeting on February 2, 1938, US president F D Roosevelt outlined a blueprint that envisaged construction of transcontinental highways that he thought would transform the industrial landscape of the country. How the plan gained currency and achieved the objective is part of the economic history of that country. One can perhaps find the shadow of a similar thought process in the Gati Shakti plan outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week. Roads are a vital tool of economic development. There are numerous examples of major roads attracting investments, infrastructure development and settlement along stretches of major roads in different parts of the country.

Coming eight decades after the US plan, the Indian blueprint envisages multimodal transport and not only roadways. Improved connectivity is expected to contribute to rapid economic development generating employment and social and physical infrastructure. Most important the project will connect the economic nerve centres, existing and emerging, of the country, providing a fillip to economic growth.

The plan envisages interconnectivity connectivity of 11 industrial corridors and two defence corridors. It also lays out a plan to set up 220 airports, helipads and water aerodromes besides expanding the NH network to 2 lakh km. It also includes addition of cargo handling capacities, 4G connectivity in all villages, 17,000 km of gas pipeline, more than 200 fishing clusters/harbours etc.

The plan that aims at close coordinated action between ministries has a super-ambitious target of 2024-25, the year in which general elections will be held in the country.

The plan that envisages a headline investment figure of Rs 100 lakh crore might seem to be too high given the fiscal compulsions of the government. There has to be private participation in a major way that itself might be a challenge. If the government is really keen to set modernise the country’s economic assets overnight as this plan envisages, it has to get India Inc on board.