PM Gati Shakti programme: Centre clears storage godown, road projects for funding in Punjab

The 2 projects involving worth ₹263 crore were granted in-principle approval by department of promotion of industry and internal trade of the Union commerce industry ministry

The Centre on Friday approved two Punjab projects for construction of covered storage capacity for foodgrains in 10 districts and road connectivity to an industrial cluster for funding under the Prime Minister Gati Shakti Scheme.

Punjab government also pitched another project worth ₹19 crore for rectification of 63 black spots identified on the state roads for funding. It, however, did not pass muster with the central ministry which termed it as maintenance work. (HT file photo)

The two projects involving expenditure of ₹263 crore were granted in-principle approval by the department of promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) of the Union ministry of commerce and industry in a virtual meeting. Both projects were submitted by the state government under the scheme for special assistance to states for capital expenditure in financial year 2022-23. The total outlay under the scheme is ₹5,000 crore. DPIIT is the nodal agency for the central programme.

Punjab’s director, industries and commerce, C Sibin, who is also the state nodal officer for PM Gati Shakti Scheme, said the exact amount of funding will be decided by the department of economic affairs (DEA) of the central government. Under the covered storage capacity project to be implemented by the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, the state proposes to set up new godowns with storage capacity of 115000 metric tonne (MT) in Muktsar, Sangrur, Fazilka, Ludhiana and Moga districts and create covered storage space on existing plinths with 22,500 MT capacity in Bathinda, Patiala, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar and Ludhiana districts. The project cost is estimated to be ₹93.80 crore. PSWC stored about 2.34 lakh MT of wheat in Rabi Marketing Season 2022-23 in open at various locations in the state after making all efforts to arrange the covered space, according to an official note.

The road connectivity project is for acquisition of land and construction of a 5.6-kilometer approach road by Greater Mohali Development Authority (GMADA) from National Highway 44 to Integrated Manufacturing Cluster Rajpura at a cost of ₹169 crore. Both projects were cleared by the State Empowered Group of Secretaries headed by the chief secretary for seeking funding under the central programme. The state government also pitched another project worth ₹19 crore for rectification of 63 black spots identified on the state roads for funding. It, however, did not pass muster with the central ministry which termed it as “maintenance work”.