“The constitution of the high powered committee comes in the wake of the government’s focus on infrastructure which has been identified as a key priority area.
Monitor performance
The committee will put the implementation of the infrastructure sector projects on fast track and monitor the performance keeping in mind the mandate of the government,” an official press release said here on Saturday.
Its functions include considering and taking decisions in respect of all infrastructure related proposals costing more than Rs 150 crore specifically those concerning energy, railways, roads and national highways, ports, airports, telecommunications, IT, irrigation, housing and urban development with particular emphasis on rural housing and urban slum clearance.
It will consider and decide fiscal, financial, institutional and legal measures required to enhance investment in the infrastructure sector, including grant of requisite approvals to facilitate private sector investment in specific projects. It will lay down annual parameters and targets for performance for all infrastructure sectors and review the progress of infrastructure sector projects.
Committee members
The members of the Committee will include Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, Road, Transport & Highways Minister Kamal Nath and Communications and IT Minister A Raja.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Prithviraj Chauhan, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office and Praful Patel, Minister of State for Civil Aviation will be special invitees.