Question : Upgradation of Infrastructure

(a) whether the Union Government has sought the cooperation of some of the foreign countries to upgrade infrastructure in surface transport sector;

(b) if so, the details in this regard and the countries interested to extend innovative technologies for improving highway development, road engineering, road safety and development of green fuels in the automobile sector;

(c) the details of MoUs signed between India and foreign countries/firms on the upgradation of infrastructure in transport sector; and

(d) the time by which the work of upgrading infrastructure in transport sector as targeted is likely to be completed?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (c): For co-operation with other countries in the road transport and highways sector, the Government signs instruments in the nature of Framework of Cooperation (FoC), Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) etc. with foreign countries for collaborating in identified sectors and areas, including upgradation of infrastructure in road transport sector. The Ministry has, at present, signed such instruments with USA, Japan, Korea, UAE, Canada, China, UK and Finland. The scope of such instruments includes joint work on key areas of mutual interest in the transportation sector, such as, co-ordination of public and private sector resources, expertise and technologies with the objective of developing safe, secure, efficient and integrated transportation systems and sustainable highway infrastructure.

(d) Specific co-operation activities to be taken up under such FoC, MoC or MoU are included in the work plan for implementation of such instruments, finalized through the mechanism of meetings of the duly constituted bilateral Joint Working Groups (JWGs), which are held from time to time.

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