Cabinet note on rail tariff body by January 15

Centre sets early deadlines for major infrastructure projects

The government on Thursday hinted at setting up a Rail Tariff Authority (RTA) soon, pushing the politically sensitive move after yesterday’s success in the Lok Sabha on the issue of foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.

Also, on the cards is a renewed plan for speedy implementation of major infrastructure projects in the railways, roads and shipping sectors.

An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) headed by the chairman of the Railway Board is to finalise its recommendations on the RTA by December 31. “A Cabinet note will be brought, latest by January 15, 2013,” the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.

PM’S RENEWED INFRA PUSH

• Bids for Mumbai Elevated Rail Corridor before Rail Budget 
• Bids for Madhepura locomotive factory project by December 31
• PMEAC chairman to look at RBI’s treatment of loans to the roads sector as unsecured loans
• Target of awarding 8,000 km roads set to be surpassed in 2012-13

 

The decision to expedite the process has been taken in review meetings of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to push the infrastructure sector. Among other decisions, a State Support Agreement would be signed with the Maharashtra government in the next 15 days for an Elevated Rail Corridor in Mumbai. “The (railways) ministry will finalise important milestones with timelines by December 31 and bids for the project will be invited before the Rail Budget in 2013,” said the PMO.

Similarly, bids for the Madhepura Locomotive Factory Project will be called by December 31 and the project (meant to be a private-public partnership) will be awarded before the Railway Budget.

The IMG, set up under the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), will consider and approve any necessary changes to the documents.

Timelines for the Marhowra locomotive factory project will be announced by December 15. In the case of the Dedicated Freight Corridor, the ministry will give its revised estimates, with details on source of funding, by the same date.

In the review meetings of projects in the road transport and highways sector, it has been decided that the secretary of that ministry would send a note to the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council on the issue of the Reserve Bank’s treatment of loans to the road sector as unsecured ones.

The roads ministry was set to cross the target of awarding 8,000 km of building contracts this year by March 2013, said the PMO.