Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, unveiled the district-level implementation of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for 27 aspirational districts across India, marking the third anniversary of the initiative, on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Goyal highlighted that GatiShakti is a highly intelligent tool for infrastructure planning and notified that the District Master Plan will be extended to over 750 districts nationwide within the next 18 months. He also introduced the guidelines for preparing city logistics plans for Indian cities, which aim to assist cities in customising their logistics strategies to align with local goals and characteristics.
During his address, Goyal emphasised that the National Master Plan serves as a faster, more efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality instrument for India's pursuit of world-class infrastructure. He noted that speed and resilience are now hallmarks of the country, which is gaining global recognition for delivering modern, high-quality infrastructure projects on time, with future-oriented planning and effective implementation.
He predicted that the tool would eventually be adopted by other countries for their own infrastructure planning. The Minister stressed that integrating geospatial and other advanced technologies into the PM GatiShakti Master Plan represents a significant step toward transforming India's connectivity landscape. He mentioned that all data within the GatiShakti platform is validated, thoroughly checked, and periodically updated.
Applauding the BISAG-N team for their work on the platform, Goyal described PM GatiShakti as a superior intelligence tool, emphasising that its GIS-enabled platform would significantly reduce government expenses and improve infrastructure planning through data-driven decision-making.
Goyal further stated that PM GatiShakti has become the cornerstone of India's expanding infrastructure programs, creating a multiplier effect on the economy and contributing to the country's status as one of the world's fastest-growing economies. He acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foresight in recognising the potential of spatial technologies 20 years ago, which was initially implemented in Gujarat.
The Minister added that PM Modi has broadened the scope of PM GatiShakti to include social infrastructure by mapping facilities such as power distribution lines, schools, and hospitals through the 'Area Development Approach' initiative. He remarked that while physical infrastructure outcomes are being planned, social infrastructure planning is also being integrated to enhance ease of living. GatiShakti is now advancing to merge the concepts of ease of doing business and ease of living.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) hosted a day-long meeting with stakeholders from central and state governments to review the platform's performance and explore ways to further improve its utility for infrastructure planners at both levels. (ANI)
