India has emerged as the largest PPP market in world: Arvind Mayaram

BHUBANESWAR: Terming Odisha's achievement in public-private-partnership sector as "a plan outside the plan", Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram today said India has emerged as the largest PPP market in the world.

"The achievement of the Odisha government in this respect can be termed as a plan outside the plan, which has been created to achieve the objectives of the original plan," DEA secretary Mayaram said while addressing a workshop on PPP investment here.

Stating that India has emerged as the largest PPP market in the world, Mayaram said it is quite astonishing that in a very short period Odisha has pipelined PPP projects worth Rs 13,000 crore in public infrastructure.

"I would like to place on record our gratitude to the Government of Odisha for their endeavour," Mayaram said.

He also praised the state government in taking up an innovative 'Power-saving street lighting' project via PPP mode which will act as a model for replication in other states.

"Now we have reached a very good beginning level and the need is to move forward with contract management and regular monitoring of concession agreements," Mayaram said.

Addressing the gathering Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said: "Projects like bulk water supply, health services, urban waste disposal and establishment of educational institutions in tribal districts have been taken up in the PPP mode."

"Also rural infrastructure in roads, drinking water facility, sanitation are also at the top of the government's agenda," the Chief Minister said.

"A total of 40 projects in PPP mode have been finalised and 26 are already under implementation," Chief Secretary J K Mohapatra said.

Odisha is one among few states who have qualified for Technical Assistance (TA) for PPP being run with ADB support.

The ADB-DEA PPP initiatives covers mainly four areas like improving PPP enabling environment, building capacity of PPP cells, mainstreaming of PPP projects, preparing pilot projects and Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Area ( PURA).