Question : Changes in CRF Act

(a) whether the Government is considering to change the Central Road Fund Act;

(b) if so, the details and the objectives thereof indicating the changes proposed in the Act;

(c) whether the Government also proposes to create a Central Road and Infrastructure Fund and change the funding pattern for infrastructure projects;

(d) if so, the details and the objectives thereof; and

(e) whether it is true that the projects implemented by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will suffer in case changes are made in the Central Road Fund, if so, the details thereof?

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

(SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (d) The Finance Bill, 2018, inter-alia, proposes amendment to the Central Road Fund (CRF) Act, 2000 to replace Central Road Fund by Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) and allocate fund thus collected for various Infrastructure sectors such as Transport (Road and bridges, Ports, Shipyards, Inland Waterways, Airports, Railways, Urban Public Transport), Energy, Water and Sanitation, Communication, Social and Commercial infrastructure.

(e) Share of CRF cess for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) is earmarked for projects taken up through various executing agencies, such as National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), State Public Works Departments (PWDs), National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), etc. At present, there is no proposal to discontinue earmarking/ reduction of NH share of CRF/ CRIF cess to any of these executing agencies including NHAI.

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