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Centre pushes for ₹36K-crore infra projects in Gujarat, Rajasthan
A high-level meeting was convened last week to review key issues impacting major infrastructure projects in Gujarat and Rajasthan
The central government has taken steps to resolve about two dozen issues hindering implementation of infrastructure projects worth ₹36,296 crore in Gujarat and Rajasthan, including facilities for power evacuation from solar energy zones in these states, and a telecommunication network expansion project of Reliance Jio, an official statement said on Monday.
A high-level meeting was convened last week to review key issues impacting major infrastructure projects in Gujarat and Rajasthan, with a focus on resolving bottlenecks through the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) mechanism, the ministry of commerce and industry said in a statement on Monday.
“A total of 22 issues related to 18 critical projects—collectively valued at over ₹36,296 crore—were taken up for discussion,” it said. Department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) principal economic adviser Praveen Mahto, who chaired the meeting, directed authorities involved in these projects to adopt a “proactive approach” in resolving pending issues.
He underlined the importance of private project proponents actively leveraging the PMG platform to accelerate implementation, the statement said. “He emphasised that effective coordination among Central Ministries, State Governments, and private stakeholders is essential for timely and efficient resolution of project-related concerns,” it added.
PMG is an institutional mechanism, tasked with facilitating issue resolution in projects that are facing delays or awaiting regulatory clearances with state and central ministries. If a company faces any bottlenecks in obtaining government approvals, it can upload the project and the issues accompanying it on the PMG portal for expedited resolution. PMG provides its service without any fee and its assistance is available to any infrastructural or industrial project with an investment of ₹500 crore and above.
According to the statement, the review covered the transmission system strengthening scheme for evacuation of power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan and Gujarat, with a projected investment of ₹14,147 crore. “The scheme aims to facilitate seamless integration of renewable energy into the national grid by developing high-capacity transmission infrastructure, including substations and transmission lines,” it said.
“In Rajasthan, the scheme targets solar zones in Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Barmer, while in Gujarat, the focus areas include Surendranagar, Patan, and Kutch. These projects are crucial for evacuating solar power from renewable energy-rich regions and delivering it reliably to consumption centres across India,” it said.
The meeting also reviewed the 5G and 4G network expansion project of Reliance Jio, recognised as a project of national importance, it said. “The initiative seeks to extend 5G mobile services to uncovered and remote areas, while also strengthening existing 4G infrastructure,” it said. Discussions were held with the state government to expedite resolution of pending forest-related issues. Once completed, the project will significantly improve digital connectivity, especially in remote and strategically important regions, it added.
The meeting also focused on addressing key challenges such as right-of-way and land acquisition to accelerate progress of projects worth over ₹36,000 crore. The Thursday meeting was attended by senior officials from central ministries, state governments, and key project proponents, “reflecting a strong commitment to collaborative infrastructure development”, it said.
