PM GatiShakti Plan (Economy)
PM GatiShakti Plan (Economy)
Why In News:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has partnered with PhonePe to strengthen PM GatiShakti with granular, location-linked data, aiming to improve integrated infrastructure planning and cut logistics costs.
What is PM GatiShakti?
PM GatiShakti – National Master Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity was launched in October 2021 to bring different infrastructure projects under a coordinated planning framework.
It integrates information from multiple ministries and departments on a common GIS-based digital platform, enabling planners to examine infrastructure projects spatially rather than designing them in isolation.
The platform brings together layers relating to roads, railways, ports, airports, industrial corridors, logistics infrastructure, utilities and other physical assets.
The objective is to ensure multimodal connectivity, minimise duplication of infrastructure and improve the efficiency of movement of people, goods and services.
Role of Location-Linked Data
Demand-Based Planning: Granular, location-linked data from platforms such as PhonePe, when integrated with government datasets, can reveal economic activity, spatial demand and infrastructure gaps, enabling more targeted and evidence-based infrastructure investment.
Improved Multimodal Connectivity: Integrated data can help optimise the alignment of roads, railways, ports, airports and logistics hubs, improving first- and last-mile connectivity and strengthening MMLPs, industrial corridors and manufacturing clusters.
Institutional Framework
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is the nodal department for coordinating the implementation of PM GatiShakti.
The Network Planning Group (NPG) brings together representatives of relevant infrastructure ministries to evaluate projects from the perspective of multimodal connectivity and integrated planning.
The National Logistics Policy (NLP), 2022 complements GatiShakti by focusing on process reforms, digitalisation, standardisation and logistics efficiency, thereby addressing both physical infrastructure and operational bottlenecks.