Tweets: Japan virtually underwriting India’s public expend in Infra! After R81,000 crs soft loan for Bullet Train, now R1 lac cr for road financing.
High impact Partnership: After Metro, DFC, Bullet Train & Road financing—now civil nuclear energy also added for Japanese collaboration.
Japan providing a fillip to India’s infrastructure ambitions
A slew of agreements and MoUs signed between Japan and India are aimed at promoting direct investment from Japan, thereby giving a fillip to India’s infrastructure ambitions. Both countries are also looking at close collaboration in the energy sector with a focus on renewables and civil nuclear energy.
Tweets: Cabinet clearance for Realty Bill with tighter conditions. 70% sale proceeds in Escrow instead of 50%. Projects over 500 sq mts, not 1000.
Building stronger laws for home buyers
The Cabinet has approved 20 major amendments to the Real Estate Regulatory Bill. Henceforth, projects of 500 sq metres and above will have to be registered with the regulatory authority. Builders will also have to put 70% of sale proceeds instead of the earlier 50% in an escrow account and will have to pay interest to home buyers for delays/defaults at the same rate as they charge them.
Tweets: Inter-ministerial Group (incl Water, Env & Power Ministers) reportedly takes view to ban all hydropower projects on Ganga & tributaries.
Safeguarding the Ganga
It appears that the government has, in principle, decided not to allow construction on the Ganga and its tributaries in order to maintain the river’s minimum environmental flow and safeguard the ecology. Hydroelectric power project promoters will be reimbursed for any losses incurred.
Tweets: ‘Build In Maharashtra’ easier. State Govt asks municipalities to cut the number of approvals for realty projects from current 200 to 70.
Realty projects to be fast-tracked in Maharashtra
It is expected that with the reduction in the number of approvals needed from 200 to 70 for realty projects, housing will become more affordable. It should ease developers’ cash flows as project approvals will be faster as well as be a role model for other states.
Tweets: R16,000 cr Navi Mum Airport stirring to life. CIDCO expects CivilAv Min clearance in fortnight for issuance of RFPs to shortlisted bidders.
Work to begin on Navi Mumbai airport
The much-delayed Navi Mumbai Airport is expected to get the go-ahead from the central government soon. Issues related to land acquisition, approvals from the environment ministry and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) permissions, which had been the sticking points till now, are likely to be cleared as a package.
Tweets: Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill introduced in Parliament. Allows Nuclear Power Corp to set up JVs with other PSUs for civil nuclear power.
Making way for nuclear energy
The government has introduced the Atomic Energy Amendment Bill to overcome barriers in setting up of new nuclear projects and enhance nuclear power generation.
Tweets: Pothole Delegation: Eminently practical decision by NHAI Chairman to empower regional officers to repair potholes up to R1 cr.
Pothole-free highways
Road users can rejoice as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken steps to speed up maintenance of highways. Further, the authority has also sent a proposal to the road ministry for undertaking projects worth R11,000 crore to build underpasses, overbridges and flyovers.
Tweets: It is indeed a unique distinction for Kochi Airport to be the world’s first airport to run 100% on solar power. Congratulations!
Solar energy: Kochi Airport shows the way
The aviation ministry has instructed the management of all airports in India to follow Kochi’s example and install solar energy plants. In the first phase, airports at Bhubaneswar, Madurai, Gaya and Varanasi will work towards meeting their power needs by harnessing solar energy.
—Vinayak Chatterjee is Chairman of Feedback Infra
His Twitter handle: @Infra_VinayakCh
A weekly selection of the author’s tweets—
with a brief backgrounder—in the infra space, by Adite Banerjie