Nath aims to build 20 km road per day
Kamal Nath told Montek Singh Ahluwalia that the planning commission should confine only to planning rather than commenting on the implementation of road projects.
By Dipak Kumar Dash, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Taking a dig at Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, minister of road, transport and highways, Kamal Nath said on Tuesday that the plan panel should confine only to planning rather than commenting on the implementation of road projects.
On panel's reported reservations with regard to change in request for quoting (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) for mega highway projects and its other observations of setting achievable targets in awarding highway projects, Nath said, "Ministry has expertise to look at many facets of RFQ, RFP and concession agreement related issues. Plan panel has an important role in giving inputs and they must do so. We do accommodate their valuable inputs."
Nath added: "My aim is to achieve the target of building 20 km road per day." The minister was responding to questions on the recent observations and objections by the plan panel.
He said since the mega road highway projects were of different nature, there was a need to have separate RFQ and RFP.
Nath, however, admitted that the awarding of highway projects has been slow so far. "But you need to see the progress in comparison to last year's performance. We have taken many steps to correct things after my takeover and all these will result into taking off of the projects. We will try to award as many projects as we can by June this year under Work Plan-I," the minister said.
While not a single project was awarded in July-December 2008, 10 projects covering 961 kms were awarded during January-May 2009. After the change of guard in the ministry, 17 projects were awarded between June and December 2009. NHAI targets to award 12,000 km project during the current financial year.
On panel's reported reservations with regard to change in request for quoting (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) for mega highway projects and its other observations of setting achievable targets in awarding highway projects, Nath said, "Ministry has expertise to look at many facets of RFQ, RFP and concession agreement related issues. Plan panel has an important role in giving inputs and they must do so. We do accommodate their valuable inputs."
Nath added: "My aim is to achieve the target of building 20 km road per day." The minister was responding to questions on the recent observations and objections by the plan panel.
He said since the mega road highway projects were of different nature, there was a need to have separate RFQ and RFP.
Nath, however, admitted that the awarding of highway projects has been slow so far. "But you need to see the progress in comparison to last year's performance. We have taken many steps to correct things after my takeover and all these will result into taking off of the projects. We will try to award as many projects as we can by June this year under Work Plan-I," the minister said.
While not a single project was awarded in July-December 2008, 10 projects covering 961 kms were awarded during January-May 2009. After the change of guard in the ministry, 17 projects were awarded between June and December 2009. NHAI targets to award 12,000 km project during the current financial year.
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