Let states take up rail work under PPP model: Plan panel member

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Nov 21: Planning Commission Member B K
Chaturvedi today said state governments should be allowed to
take up railway works under PPP model.
"It is an excellent idea ... state governments should be
allowed to adopt PPP model for taking up railway works ...
this will improve railways income," he said in response to a
query in an interaction session at Business Standard
Infrastructure Meet 2011 here.
Chaturvedi also hinted at including adoption of PPP model
to raise the income of Railways in the ensuing 12th Five Year
Plan (2012-2017).
There is a massive requirement for the Railways to expand
as it has just added 11,000-km odd railway line to 52,000-km
line existing prior to the Independence, he said.
"Hardly any expansion has taken place in the Railways,"
he added.
The expansion has taken place in line doubling and gauge
conversion activities, Chaturvedi said.
Stressing the need for expanding PPP window to improve
income in all sectors, he hoped far more private investments
as against public investments in the 12th plan.
"In 1950s, private investments used to be 45 per cent as
against 55 per cent public investments," he said.