NITI Aayog takes a state-centric approach: At the first Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, the PM discussed the proposition of transferring 66 centrally-sponsored schemes to the states. A sub-group of CMs has been constituted to take a hard look at the issue.

Tweet: 66 centrally sponsored schemes do not sit well with ‘cooperative federalism.’ Good idea by PM at NITI Aayog meeting to get CMs involved.

Lowering T&D losses is the next big challenge: The Central Electricity Authority expects transmission and distribution losses to come down to 18% during the 2017-22 period. It warned that the current level of 23% losses is very high when compared to international standards.

Tweet: Quite embarrassing for India to continue to have T&D losses at 23% as per CEA’s latest stats. Even this is perceived to be an underestimate.

CSR as a funding option for railway projects?: In a bid to raise revenues for the cash-strapped Indian Railways, Union railways minister Suresh Prabhu floats the idea of corporates investing their CSR funds into appropriate schemes. The Railways is hard-pressed to find funding for nearly 300 projects.

Tweet: Another good idea from Suresh Prabhu. Rlys to design schemes where corporates can fund passenger facilities & amenities under CSR obligation.

Players bid for airport modernisation: Eight companies have responded to the government’s “request for qualification” call to award the airport management contract on a PPP basis. The government has also lowered the fresh investment component that private concessionaires need to make for developing the airports.

Tweet: Kol, Chennai, Ahd & Jaipur airport modernisation sees prima-facie interest from just 5 credible bidders – GVK, GMR, Adani, Zurich, & Siemens.

Gas-based power plants in dire straits: The industry faces tough times with huge investments lying unutilised for quite some time now and NPAs piling up in the banking system.

Tweet: Power Ministry tries various means to provide gas to R64,000 cr of stranded gas based power plants – but nothing seems to be working yet.

Beating traffic congestion with the ‘Metrino’?: NCR residents may be the first urban commuters in India to experience a new form of travelling mode—the Metrino. Building a corridor of driverless vehicles is expected to cost R40-50 crore for every kilometre which is much lower than setting up the high-cost Metro rail network.

Tweet: New concept in urban transportation – the ‘Metrino’. Driverless pods suspended from beams on highway medians. Delhi-Manesar feasibility on.

Bleak outlook for new thermal projects: Various factors, including coal shortages, lack of offtake by discoms, and troubled private sector balance-sheets have led to a scenario where the pipeline of new thermal projects looks decidedly meagre for the next half a decade.

Tweet: BHEL’s disappointing results reiterate the complete absence of new generation projects. Pipeline from 2016 onwards cause for serious concern.

Bumpy road ahead?: With the resetting of PPP contracts still a work in progress, a large number of road projects are being delayed or abandoned. According to a CRISIL report, a PPP-project faces a delay of 20 months on an average and cost escalation of 36%.

Tweet: CRISIL report quoted in FE edit: Road construction in April-Oct 2014 only 3.2 km/day compared to 4.3 km/day corresponding period in 2013.

– Vinayak Chatterjee is Chairman of Feedback Infra
His Twitter handle: @Infra_VinayakCh

A weekly compilation of the author’s tweets— with a brief backgrounder—in the infra space, by Adite Banerjie