Click-start for stuck infra projects

In a first-of-its-kind move, the government has set up an online platform for private entrepreneurs whose infrastructure projects worth R1,000 crore or more are stuck, where they can air their grievances. Moushumi Das Gupta reports.

In a first-of-its-kind move, the government has set up an online platform for private entrepreneurs whose infrastructure projects worth R1,000 crore or more are stuck, where they can air their grievances.

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They can also get weekly feedback on steps taken by the government to redress their issues. The online forum kicked off last week.

The dedicated online platform is one component of the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) set up by the cabinet secretariat to woo investors and put delayed infrastructure projects back on track.

Developers can visit cabsec.nic.in to register themselves and write about issues plaguing their projects. Once a complaint is logged, it would be reviewed by the special cell which would then hold a three-way meeting with the developer, the implementing ministry and the ministry where the project is stuck.

“The cell will act as a facilitator to sort out the bottlenecks,” Anil Swarup, additional secretary, cabinet secretariat, who is heading the unit, told HT. “Issues that do not get resolved here would be referred to the Cabinet Committee on Investment.”

Decisions taken at the three-way meeting would be uploaded online. Right now only developers and the ministries concerned would have browsing rights. Also, as of now, no time frame has been fixed to resolve a dispute, but it will eventually be fixed.

At present, 122 projects worth R7 lakh crore are struck for various issues including delay in environment clearances and land acquisition.