Union Budget 2020: What The Infrastructure Got?

It was largely anticipated, that the Infra sector would receive a big boost from the Union Budget, which it did, through the following announcements. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed about Rs 1.70 lakh crore for transport Infrastructure in 2020-21.

1. A proposal was made for project preparation facility for infrastructure projects. This programme would actively involve young engineers, management graduates and economists from our Universities.

2. The Budget also proposed to direct all infrastructure agencies of the government to involve youth-power in start-ups. They would help in rolling out value added services in quality public infrastructure for citizens.

3. A National Logistics Policy would soon be released. It would clarify the roles of the Union Government, State Governments and key regulators. It would create a single window e-logistics market and focus on generation of employment, skills and making MSMEs competitive.

4. The Finance Minister also promised accelerated development of highways would be undertaken. This would include development of 2500 Km access control highways, 9000 Km of economic corridors, 2000 Km of coastal and land port roads and 2000 Km of strategic highways.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and two other packages would be completed by 2023 . Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway would also be started.

5. The Union Budget also promised to make sea-ports more efficient. "Technology has to used to improve performance. A governance framework keeping with global benchmarks needs to be put in place. This government would consider corporatizing at least one major port and subsequently its listing on the stock exchanges," the Finance Minister said.

Apart from the above, there were also a whole lot of announcements made for waterways, air traffic etc.