Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed six key infrastructure projects in the railway, road and power sectors spanning nine states, with a cumulative cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore.

Chairing the 53rd meeting of PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, at Seva Teerth, Modi said delays in infrastructure projects have consequences beyond cost escalation as they also postpone the benefits meant for citizens, businesses and the economy.

The Prime Minister stressed that infrastructure projects should be viewed and monitored as an integrated whole rather than as isolated sections, stretches or packages.

He said progress in individual packages should ultimately result in the timely completion and operationalisation of the entire project.

Ministries and state governments were accordingly asked to adopt an end-to-end approach and address critical gaps that could delay overall commissioning and the delivery of benefits.

Modi also called for a proactive work culture across ministries and state governments, with greater ownership at every level of project implementation.

Focus on integrated infrastructure planning

The Prime Minister stressed the need to explore common utility corridors for infrastructure services wherever feasible, particularly while planning major transport and infrastructure projects.

He asked ministries and states to examine such integrated approaches at the planning stage itself, keeping their technical and economic feasibility in view.

Modi further emphasised that faster execution must be accompanied by uncompromising quality.

He called upon ministries, states and implementing agencies to adopt modern technologies and strengthen quality assurance and supervision at every stage of project implementation.

Push for AI in agriculture

During the review of AgriStack under the Digital Agriculture Mission, Modi emphasised the need to leverage the latest digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to derive greater value from agricultural data.

While reviewing cyber fraud cases, including incidents involving digital arrest, the Prime Minister said prevention must be strengthened through sustained efforts in training, awareness and education.