Business Line 09.10.2013
TN to focus on road projects, infra development
Bank funding of over Rs 8,533 crore, according to Rajeev Ranjan,
Secretary for Highways and Minor Ports.
The State Government has also stepped up funding for improving roads
as part of a general initiative on infrastructure development to sustain
economic growth.
It has earmarked Rs 2,980 crore under the Comprehensive Road
Infrastructure Development programme in the current year against Rs
2,200 crore last year. The objective of the programme is to upgrade over
2,000 km of six-lane roads to eight lanes and 5,000 km of four-lane
roads to six.
At the first meeting of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development
Board, the agency that identifies and prioritises infrastructure
projects in the state, has allocated Rs 65 crore for detailed project
reports and feasibility studies for road projects, he said, addressing
the inaugural of Summinfra, a two-day seminar on infrastructure
organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
S. Krishnan, Principal Secretary — Planning & Development, Tamil
Nadu Government, said despite the overall slow down in lending for large
projects, the State Government has a clear plan to focus on
infrastructure projects. It has estimated that over Rs 15 lakh crore
funding will be needed for investment in infrastructure over the next 10
years and is prepared to go ahead with public funding initially.