Why in the News?
At the 50th meeting of PRAGATI, the Cabinet Secretary highlighted land acquisition as a major bottleneck in infrastructure development. The meeting was chaired by Narendra Modi.
About PRAGATI (Pro Active Governance and Timely Implementation)
- A digital and institutional mechanism for monitoring major infrastructure projects
- Chaired by the Prime Minister
- Ensures coordination among Central Ministries, State governments and local authorities
- Focuses on expediting project implementation and resolving bottlenecks
Key Data from 50th PRAGATI Meeting
- Total projects reviewed Over 3,300
- Total project value Approximately ₹85 lakh crore
- Issues raised 7,735
- Issues resolved 7,156
Major Causes of Project Delays
- Land acquisition 35 percent
- Forest, wildlife and environment clearances 20 percent
- Right of use or right of way 18 percent
- Other causes Law and order issues, construction delays, power utility approvals and financial constraints
Important Observations
- Several long pending projects initiated as early as the 1990s were completed after PRAGATI was introduced
- Government has not quantified financial savings from timely monitoring
- States across political lines have cooperated in resolving issues
- Complex issues are escalated from Ministry level to PRAGATI for final resolution
Prelims Pointers
- PRAGATI is a Prime Minister chaired project monitoring platform
- Land acquisition is the single largest cause of infrastructure delays in India
- Environmental and forest clearances are the second biggest bottleneck
- PRAGATI promotes inter ministerial and Centre State coordination
| [2019] With reference to land reforms in independent India, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) The ceiling laws were aimed at family holdings and not individual holdings. (b) The major aim of land reforms was providing agricultural land to all the landless. (c) It resulted in cultivation of cash crops as a predominant form of cultivation. (d) Land reforms permitted no exemptions to the ceiling limits. |
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