Question : MEETING ON ROAD HIGHWAY PROJECTS

(a) whether the Government/NHAI has convened a meeting with the State PWD ministers recently on road and highway projects; and

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the outcome of the meeting?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI R.P.N.SINGH)

(a) and (b): A meeting of the Ministers in charge of the State Public Works Departments (PWDs) was held under the Chairmanship of Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways [Minister (RT&H)] on 05-02-2010. During this meeting, the Minister (RT&H) requested the State Governments to extend their active cooperation and pro-active participation in the programme of implementation of National Highways Development Project (NHDP) right from the inception of individual projects for enabling their successful and time bound implementation. The necessity to improve performance of States in terms of utilization of funds allocated under Centrally Sponsored Road Schemes was also emphasized during the meeting. The Minister(RT&H) also directed in the above mentioned meeting that in case, despite repeated persuasion, land acquisition is not feasible for the projects which either could not commence or are delayed after commencement for several years in some of the States, feasibility of dropping such projects or foreclosure of the projects already commenced in those States could also be considered in extreme cases. Necessity for gearing up and expediting the process of land acquisition by the State Governments with fortnightly review of the progress with District Land Acquisition Officers were reiterated in the meeting and States were requested for taking up of necessary corrective actions promptly and ensure timely handing over of land to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Some other important decisions taken during the above mentioned meeting were
(i) necessity on part of the consultants engaged by NHAI for preparation of Project Reports to interact with State Governments and Local people right from inception so that broader project parameters could be decided conclusively without resorting to their revision at implementation stage,
(ii) explore ways and means to reduce the timeline for award of projects under NHDP from their date of approval,
(iii) expeditious setting up of High Level Coordination Committees under State Chief Secretaries for resolving issues relating to State Governments concerned towards implementation of NHDP where such Committees are yet to be set up,
(iv) necessity on part of State Governments to immediately sign the Umbrella State Support Agreement for implementation of project under NHDP through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, etc.