E. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India reviewed the regional logistics needs of the region and emphasized the supportive role of the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan initiative during a two-day capacity-building and training event scheduled on November 3-4.

Individual interactions were held with almost 25 officers from various departments and the Project Management Unit team of UT of Ladakh. Marking the extraordinary progress made over the last two years in implementing the PM GatiShakti initiative, Joint Secretary, E. Srinivas, highlighted the achievements made by various infrastructure and social sector Ministries and States/UTS. 

The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) represents a groundbreaking strategy aimed at fostering comprehensive and interconnected planning among relevant Ministries and Departments. Its primary objectives include enhancing the efficiency of multimodal transportation and addressing crucial infrastructure deficiencies to enable uninterrupted movement of people and goods, with a particular emphasis on reducing interruptions and ensuring the on-schedule completion of projects.

Notably, several key accomplishments were highlighted during the Capacity building and training on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, showcasing the transformative power of PM GatiShakti. It was informed that PM GatiShakti played a pivotal role in identifying 156 infrastructure gaps affecting essential sectors like Coal, Steel, and Ports; and, it was in recognition of its significance that the government allocated a substantial Rs 75,000 crores for 100 critical infrastructure projects in the Union Budget for 2023-24, E. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, DPIIT said during the training & capacity building meeting.

It was also shared that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways planned over $890 kilometers of roads, reducing the time required for Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation. The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has streamlined pipeline planning. reducing report generation time to 24 hours. The most important project approved by the Cabinet for UT of Ladakh is the Green Energy Corridor for Inter-State Transmission System for 13 GW Renewable Energy (RE) Project from Leh (Ladakh) to Kaithal (Haryana) was also planned through PM GatiShakti NMP.

The Joint Secretary added, "The accomplishments of PM GatiShakti serve as a clear demonstration of the collaborative principles prevailing within our nation." He highlighted that UT of Ladakh has made significant progress on PM GatiShakti initiative. Multiple data layers have been mapped by the UT on SMP like rivers, flood maps, power transmission and distribution, tourism sites, drainage, etc. Work on Quality improvement of the data by the UT of Ladakh is in progress. To accelerate the PM GatiShakti implementation UT of Ladakh has constituted a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU). Various tools and applications for various departments like Agriculture, PWD, and Urban planning. Power, Education, etc for data collection and mapping will be developed for the UT of Ladakh with the help of BISAG-N.

Training and live demonstration on data layers was given to 20+ departments on State Master Plan (SMP) and usage of tools for Detailed Project Report (DPR) and mobile applications for assets mapping and it is recognized that a major role can be played by UT of Ladakh and District authorities in planning, executing the Area Development Approach.

E. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, further stated that UT of Ladakh must look into the identification and mapping of additional layers like schools, colleges, institutes, hospitals, etc. for connectivity of infrastructure to both economic and social infrastructure, including various aspects of last mile connectivity, by adopting a comprehensive Area Development Approach. This approach has already been incorporated in the evaluation of infrastructure projects presented at the Central level by the Network Planning Group (NPG). The emphasis is on ensuring that the areas surrounding project sites are adequately saturated with versatile transportation infrastructure and improved last-mile connectivity. This is aimed at facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and people, promoting the optimal blend of transportation modes, and contributing to development that centers around the needs of the people.

Furthermore, it was also pointed out that PM GatiShakti has not only received recognition within the country but has also attracted global interest on international platforms such as G20, B20, and various other international gatherings, involving engagement with stakeholders from around the world.