The PM GatiShakti plan was announced last year with an aim to break departmental silos and bring an integrated planning and execution of projects to address last-mile connectivities.
The DPIIT said that the move will bring down the logistic cost and promote effective and efficient planning of infrastructure projects.
NPG consists of heads of the network planning wing of respective infrastructure ministries and it will assist the empowered group of secretaries (EGOS), which is headed by the cabinet secretary. EGOS consists of secretaries of 18 ministries as members and Head of Logistics Division, under the DPIIT, as member convenor.
The DPIIT said that all the departments will approach the NPG first for approval before making a DPR (detailed project reports) at the planning stage, adding after the NPG's clearance, the project would follow the normal procedure of approval by the finance ministry and the Cabinet, depending upon the projects.
For example, if a railway is planning a project on a specified route, so by putting the relevant information on the PM GatiShakti national master plan portal before finalising the DPR, it can see whether the proposed track is crossing through public land or private property, or forest or canal or highways, the DPIIT added. Over 600 layers of data are there on the portal.
