New Delhi (16.09.2022): Continuing with the interventions to encourage private sector investment, the Infrastructure Finance Secretariat, DEA with the support of the British High Commission (BHC) organized a workshop on September 14, intending to provide a platform for the key stakeholders (especially the private players). The key participants shared their views about the current PPP landscape, and their areas and sectors of interest, and suggest interventions and initiatives required to further strengthen the current PPP ecosystem. 

The workshop witnessed the active participation of over 150 participants including private sector infra players, representatives from FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM, NIIF, senior government officials from Central Ministries and State Governments, officials from the British High Commission and International Finance Corporation and Transaction Advisers empanelled by DEA.

The workshop which was inaugurated by Ajay Seth, Secretary, DEA, Ministry of Finance (MoF)  included informative lively sector-specific sessions on Health, Education and Sports, Water Supply and Municipal Solid Waste Management, Urban Transport and Roads & Airports.

B Purushartha, Joint Secretary, (ISD), Infrastructure Finance Secretariat delivered his welcome address while special addresses were also delivered by Dr V Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser, MoF, Sally Taylor, Minister Counsellor (Director Development, Climate, Science and Technology), and Wendy Werner, Country Head India, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group.

The motive behind this workshop was that the Government of India strongly envisions a major role of Public Private Partnership (PPP) to leverage private sector investment and operational efficiencies in the provision of affordable, qualitative, and sustainable public assets and services.

During the numerous sessions, private players presented key issues and constraints faced by them during the structuring and execution of PPP projects and suggested key interventions that may be required for enhancing private sector investments in the infrastructure sector.

Participants from infra sector private players like Olympiados, Max Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals, Krsnaa Diagnostics, Medanta,  GenWorks, Apex Hospitals, Jindal Urban Infrastructure,  Vishwaraj Infrastructure, VA Tec Wabag, SUEZ India, Re Sustainability Co., Tata Projects, Abellon Green Energy, Megha Engineering, GreenCell Mobility, Reliance Infrastructure Limited,  Hindustan Construction Company, Cube Highways, IRB Infrastructure, GMR Infrastructure, Noida International Airport,  Gammon India, Fortis Memorial Research Institute attended the workshops. 

Attendees from Shapoorji Pallonji, L&T Infrastructure, PNC Infrastructure, Ashoka Buildcon, Boehringer Ingelheim, Kishan Agro Industries, Incredible Medtech LLP, Dynatom International GmbH, Innovative Technologies and Projects, Aggcon Equipments, Sekura, etc also participated and shared their views.

During the workshop, Project Sponsoring Authorities (PSAs) presented successful PPP Projects executed in the aforementioned sectors. 

Manu Srivastav, Principal Secretary (Govt of MP) successful REWA project; IDA Bihar gave a presentation on Jayaprabha Hospital on PPP mode; Goa Waste Management Corporation presented on Solid waste management facility, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha on Bhubaneswar Water Supply, Indore Municipal Corporation on Urban Public Transport, Pune Metro Rail Development Authority (PMRDA) on Pune Metro project, Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) on road projects undertaken on PPP mode and Airport Authority of India (AAI)  on Leasing of Airports on PPP mode.

Assuring full support from the government in overcoming the existing challenges while implementing PPP projects, the senior officials of the respective Central Infra Line Ministries while conducting numerous sessions tried to resolve related queries of the participants.    

Amit Ghosh, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Vishal Chauhan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing And Urban Affairs, Rubina Ali, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Vishwajeet Kumar, Director, Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Education also participated in the sessions. 

It is worth mentioning here that GoI aims at encouraging private sector investors to participate, leverage their resources, technology, and management skills to increase infrastructure investment and improve the delivery of public goods and services with a high level of efficiency and quality in light of the rising demand for infrastructure facilities.