Niti Aayog has started an exercise to identify the infrastructure projects for the ambitious second phase asset monetisation project announced in the Budget FY26. It will soon a hire a consultant for preparing a sector-wise road map the National Infrastructure Pipeline 2.0, according to official sources.
The NMP 2.0 will aim to moblise Rs 10 lakh crore from brownfield operational assets across a wide range of sectors between FY26 and FY30. The assets classes and land parcels will include highways, railways, power, petroleum and natural gas, civil aviation, ports, warehousing and storage, urban infrastructure including housing and transport, coal and mines and telecom. The respective ministries will be involved in the plan, and setting of sectotal targets.
The last date submission bid for consultancy is is April 5. A technical consultant would be hired for five months a source said.
In the Budget speech for 2025-26, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: “Building on the success of the first asset monetization plan announced in 2021, the second plan for 2025-30 will be launched to plough back capital of Rs 10 lakh crore in new projects. Regulatory and fiscal measures will be finetuned to support the plan.”
Monetisation of highway assets is likely to get into an overdrive under the National Monetisation Pipeline-II (NMP-II). The target for funds to be generated by leasing out operational and other highway networks in the next five years would be set at Rs 3.5 lakh crore, more than double the estimated mop-up in the first phase of NMP, sources said.
The previous monetisation plan of Rs 6 lakh crore during FY22-FY25 was achieved over 90% by asset recycling in sectors like roads, mining, power, petroleum and airports. Monetisation proceeds could be in upfront revenues for leases, as well as revenue sharing from operations and capex from private parties.
For the next phase blueprint, Niti Aayog is seeking the services of a qualified firm for formulating a list of infrastructure assets and land parcels for monetisation by duly estimating the likely upfront or periodic revenue that can be realised from such monetisation or the investment by the private sector into such projects.
The consultant would suggest innovative project or financing structures for accelerated development of infrastructure in the country through private sector investment.
It will also identify assets classes including assets and land parcels that can be undertaken for development or upgradation or operation and maintenance through private participation. Monetisation potential to be estimated by way of either the private investment that can be attracted for the subject development or the net present value (NPV) of the premium to be received by the authority, for each class of identified assets.
The document to be prepared by the consultant would serve as a comprehensive guidebook for ministries/ departments intending to monetize their asset classes along with a citation of assets classified into different asset classes to be monetized as well as a guidance tool comprising the following: a) citation of sector-wise assets to be monetized by ministries and CPSEs along with time-frames, modality, expected monetization values and other parameters.
Assessment of prevailing capital market instruments including infrastructure Investment Trust (InvlT) for promoting large scale participation of retail and institutional investors in the infrastructure assets.