PM GatiShakti NMP receives PM's Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2022

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2022, in the category 'Innovation-Central' was conferred by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) at the 16th Civil Services Day Celebration for the successful implementation of the prestigious ‘PM GatiShakti National Master Plan’programme.

The Prime Minister appreciated theeffortsmadeunderPMGatiShakti andfurthersetthevisionaheadforall line Ministries and States/UTs. He highlighted all data layers related to any infrastructure that can be found on a single platform and stressed upon the need to utilize it to themaximumforbetterplanningand executioninthesocialsector.

The Prime Minister further added that it will greatly benefit in identifying the needs of citizens, tackling issues related to education that might arise in the future, and enhancing communication between Departments, Districts and Blocks while also helping in the formulation offuturestrategies.

As on date, PM GatiShakti NMP has 1450+ data layers, belonging to Central Ministries (585) and States/UTs (870+). More than 30 Central Ministries / Departments including Infrastructure, Economic and Social sector line Ministries / Departments and all 36 States/ UTs have been onboarded. The institutional mechanism of Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), Network Planning Group (NPG) and Technical Support Unit (TSU)isinplaceandfullyoperational at both national and sub-national level.

All Ministries / Departments and States/UTs are using and have benefitted from planning on PM GatiShaktiNMPintermsofsavingsin time and cost, optimized planning, faster clearances, cost effective implementation, reduction in project pendency, ease of inter-ministerial coordination,etc.

Initiatives on comprehensive area development- PM GatiShakti Area Approach with a vision to create adequate infrastructure for catalysing socio-economic developmentinasustainablemanner within a rational geographical location through a convergence approacharealsobeingundertaken.

For wider adoption of PM GatiShakti, five Regional Workshopscoveringall36States/UTs to bring more vigor and build synergy with all the stakeholders of the PM GatiShaktiNMPhavebeenorganized between 20th February 2023 and 12th April 2023 at Goa, Kochi, Srinagar,GuwahatiandVaranasi.

Government set to tweak captive Berth Policy for Major Ports

NEW DELHI: Cargo berths run by port dependent industries for their captive use at state-owned major ports will be allowed to extend their contract beyond the original time frame through a right of first refusal (RoFR) mechanism when such facilities are put to re-tender on completing the term, according to a proposal drafted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

The proposal for extension of the agreement for captive berths forms a key part of the plan to amend the ‘Policy for Award of Waterfront and Associated Land to Port Dependent Industries (PDI) in Major Ports’, which was approved by the Cabinet in 2016, Governmentsourcessaid.

“Theexistingcaptivepolicydoesnot have the provision for extension of the agreement.So,wearenowproposingto make provision for extension also because normally the concession periodis30years,andiftheinvestorhas established the facility with dedicated business to the port, they may ask for continuationalso,”saidanofficial.

The extension of the concession period for captive berths will be on bidding basis to factor in the changes that have taken place since the facility was first awarded, both trade wise and tariffregimewise.

The aim is to go for a fresh price discovery for the facility taking “contemporary issues” into