<p>At the same time, he insisted that the awards on private sector were placed in a fair and transparent manner so as to dispel any fear or charges that the government was resorting to any form of favouritism or arbitrary decisions.<br /><br />"Infrastructure will play a key role in achieving our growth target of of nine percent. Our effort is to double the investment of $500 billion in the 11th Five Year plan to around $1 trillion in the 12th plan," the prime minister said.<br /><br />"It is also necessary to ensure projects are awarded in a fair and transparent manner to avoid suspicion of favouritism," he told a conference on 'challenges and opportunities in public-private partnership in national highways'.<br /><br />According to Road Transport and Highways Minister C.P. Joshi, the government will award contracts under public-private partnership to lay around 7,800 km of national highways worth an estimated Rs.50,000 crore ($11.1 billion) by the end of this year. <br /><br />"Contracts worth Rs.21,000 crore have already been awarded in the first four months," he said, hoping that the target of 20 km of national highways every day would be met.</p>
<p>At the same time, he insisted that the awards on private sector were placed in a fair and transparent manner so as to dispel any fear or charges that the government was resorting to any form of favouritism or arbitrary decisions.<br /><br />"Infrastructure will play a key role in achieving our growth target of of nine percent. Our effort is to double the investment of $500 billion in the 11th Five Year plan to around $1 trillion in the 12th plan," the prime minister said.<br /><br />"It is also necessary to ensure projects are awarded in a fair and transparent manner to avoid suspicion of favouritism," he told a conference on 'challenges and opportunities in public-private partnership in national highways'.<br /><br />According to Road Transport and Highways Minister C.P. Joshi, the government will award contracts under public-private partnership to lay around 7,800 km of national highways worth an estimated Rs.50,000 crore ($11.1 billion) by the end of this year. <br /><br />"Contracts worth Rs.21,000 crore have already been awarded in the first four months," he said, hoping that the target of 20 km of national highways every day would be met.</p>